Listen to Your Heart
by Fantasydreamer244
Summary: The Guardians thought he was over. They thought he would never find his center, whatever that meant. But when Nalanie comes into his life and has an amount of nightmares due to his interest in her, were they wrong? Sorry for the lame summary, but I swear the story is better...hopefully. Pitch x OC. Oh, and there may be a few DETAILED parts...that is my warning. HEED IT!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey y'all! Glad you chose this story, because honestly, I couldn't wait to post this. After seeing the movie (you've all probably heard this by other fangirls) Pitch pulled at my heartstrings. I felt pity when he complained about being alone and unloved, so here's a story I whipped up. I gotta say, creativity comes fast when you're inspired! :) Before I let you go and read all you want, I must warn you this is a PitchXoc pairing. I'm sorry, but I can't do any yaoi, because I just don't think that's right. I think Jack Frost made it pretty clear he hates Pitch with a burning passion. And I don't want to do Tooth Fairy because...well...she's Tooth Fairy. Nah, jest kiddin', luv ya Tooth. There may be later one-shots or more stories of Pitch with a grown up character like Sophie or Pippa, but I'm not setting that in stone. SO! Without further ado, here is the first chapter of Listen to Your Heart! LUV YOU ALL! (and Pitch hehehe) 3**

**Pitch: -_- Freak.**

**Me: Yeah, yeah, I know. Here's the story:**

_Listen to Your Heart_

Darkness was crowding her sleep, causing her to writhe in agony under the sheets. Amidst her scary dreams, she panted hard, losing her breath from the tight, cotton linens. Finally, she sat up and slammed her hand over her mouth before she could scream, and only a tiny squeal let out of her small lips. The girl sat up straighter and turned on the light near her bed, ripping off the strangling blankets. Meet Nalanie Sheridan, a sixteen year old girl who's been "diagnosed" with nightmares ever since she was thirteen. This nightmare was no different than the other terrors she had, but in this, she finally met her attacker. She stood on a rock that was splitting in two and shaking, and she tried balancing herself. She plummeted to the empty darkness once the rock cracked in two, and all around her, she heard those voices she's heard nearly every day:

"You're such a freak."

"Die in hell."

"Ha! Look at her face!"

"You seriously need help."

And the worst voice of all was one she heard in every nightmare, but can't identify the speaker. "Your dreams are over."

Lanie landed softly on a grassy pasture, to her surprise. There were swirls of black dust in the air, making her cough and oddly enough, cry out in sadness. Suddenly, the ground shook again, and there appeared a beautiful house that she knew. Her house. Lanie started running towards it, having a bad feeling something is going to happen. The house burst into flames, and Lanie fell back in surprise and horror. Screams of her family were heard inside, and she tried yelling for help.

"MOM! DAD! GET OUT OF THERE!"

Nothing worked. Something was pulling her back into the dark woods with their hands around her ribcage, but Lanie had enough. She wriggled from the attackers grasp and slapped it across the face. It grunted and stumbled at the sharp impact. She tried running towards her only home, but the fire engulfed it to the point where it was crumbling to the ground. White flashes careened into the sky, resembling her brothers, her mother and her father. They were dead. She couldn't stop the fire. She couldn't help save her family. She's all alone. Lanie fell to her knees in despair, feeling hot tears run down her cheeks. Moans of pain came from her throat as she watched the house fall into a pile of rubble and debris, still roaring like a campfire. Something surprised her. She saw black, snake like sand rise from the ground and slither towards her. She fell back onto her back while trying to escape, and hurriedly crawled further away, meeting the cold driveway. The slithering black sand met her quicker than she thought, and began wrapping around her legs. Finally, they tugged her towards the dark forest.

"NO!" Lanie screamed, feeling the terrible, clammy feeling of the sand snakes on her legs.

Once she was in a spooky, foggy clearing in the woods, the snake like sand traveled up her legs, winding around them like ivy vines. Once they reached her upper legs, they tangled around her torso, and slithered to her arms, wrapping them above her head. Mini trails of this black sand substance slunk up her neck and reached her lips, and before they could choke the breath out of her, she finally hollered out, "LET ME GO!"

A low chuckle was heard echoing in between the trees, and as if on demand, Lanie was lifted into the air, getting a face full of the moon's glare and fog.

"And why would I do that, my dear?"

Although Lanie couldn't see her attacker, she felt a cold feeling up her spine. She trembled at the feeling, never going to get used to the feeling of terror.

"Because…I…I can't take it anymore!" she let out a yell, and with enough determination, somehow freed herself from her bindings.

She fell to the grassy and mud covered ground and tried standing up, grabbing onto anything that could support her up. _Wait a minute…what am I touching?_ Her mind raced as she looked what her hand was gripping to. An ankle. A black ankle, so black it was as dark as night. She felt her hair being violently yanked upwards, and she let out a yelp.

"You just sealed the deal, my dear." Her attacker laughed.

Nalanie shook her head from the bad memory of that nightmare as she brushed her teeth in the bathroom. _That was a bad one. A really bad one._ She spit into the sink and rinsed with water, watching her finished toothpaste go down the sink drain. _What happened after that? I know I saw something that stopped me from screaming, but I can't remember._ It was true. She was so caught up in trying to wake herself up; she didn't remember the last image she saw. Lanie was too terrified to remember, nor did she look forward to another one tonight. Once finishing brushing her brunette hair and putting it into a ponytail, she went back into her room. Everything was tidy except for her bed. Her thin, white sheets were a complete mess, looking like the aftermath of a tornado. But otherwise, everything else was fine. Her floor was clean and spacious, except the pile of school books scattered near her lounge chair and iPod station. Her old guitar case sat patiently near her window, waiting for her to strum it's strings again. Lanie felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips; _I'll practice when I get home from school._

She found her favorite pair of sneakers near her battered up table of art supplies and projects and quickly laced them up. She grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder. Before she left her bedroom, something caught her eye. She stared at this certain spot on her dull pink carpet. _What is this?_ Lanie crouched to the floor near her bed and peered at a small mess. It slightly sparkled, and was a raven colored substance. She touched it, and felt her eyes widen.

_Black sand_

Lanie jolted up and scanned her room, observing everything, making sure nothing moved or nothing living besides her is in there. She turned her head back to the sand, and it still laid there. She scooped up a small amount and clenched it tight in her fist. Her hand suddenly became clammy with sweat…nervous sweat. Quick images of her recent nightmare flooded her mind. The rock. The dark woods. The burning house. The black ankle she held. The grassy pasture.

"Lanie! Are you up yet?" her mother's voice called up from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, mom!"

"Your brother's waiting for you, let's go!" Mom ended her message and went back into the kitchen.

This was Nalanie's devoted and worrisome mother. She nursed and took care of her kids, hopeful for a bright future for each of her three kids. She knew Lanie's youngest brother, Charlie, was doing great in elementary school. He was an expert in every sport, had many guy friends, and took frequent lessons in drumming. Mom knew he was fine and dandy, except for the fact that Charlie still won't eat his darn vegetables. And then there was Colby, her middle child. She was devastated when the doctor informed her that he had special needs, but everything turned out wonderfully despite his difference. He enjoyed famous movies like Indiana Jones and Batman, and also enjoyed his middle school. He's learning to tell jokes and is determined to eat everything with ketchup. Mom knew both her sons were happy, as well as her faithful husband. Dad was so patient with Mom, and made sure she was always either in a good or content mood. Sure, he may be quiet and have chronic health problems, but he always looked forward to driving home from work, listening to NPR on the beat up radio. He loved his wife's cooking more than his own, and did his best teaching his kids about life. As always, there was their old yet energetic dog, Laurel. She used to run in circles in the back yard and bark at anything, from leaves to bears three miles from the house in Jay, Maine. Now that Laurel was 78 in dog years, the family knew she was perfectly at peace with the choices she made in life. The family would mostly see her curled up on the couch or dosing in her fluffy bed, but the old dog made sure she saved up her energy for one lap around the back yard when Dad let her out. If not for everything, the family was one that everyone else wished they had.

But of course, Lanie had to be entirely off the charts. She was nothing her mom wanted her to be or do, and that's what concerned her parents more. Her brothers wouldn't always pay attention to her problems, but sometimes they'd hear her talk in her sleep, yelling at someone they didn't think was even there. Lanie had no idea what to do with her future; she had no idea on how to run a household, and is only focused on getting out of the house once she finished high school. She was distant, and unlike the other teenagers who would go out on Fridays and Saturdays to the movies or coffee shops, she stayed near the house or simply sat outside in the grass, staring off into the distance. There were moments when Lanie would lash out on someone in her family if they bugged her too much, or would start whimpering if someone started talking about their wonderful dreams they had the previous night. Mom and Dad knew something was wrong with her, so they sent her to therapy. They thought it would work out, and it partially did. The therapist became a close companion to them and their daughter told everything that was on her mind to her. Except the nightmares. She didn't want to tell anyone about them, afraid it will hurt her reputation-as if she had one at school-or ruin people's positive opinions on the sixteen year old. But when her oldest cousin, Tait would visit and babysit her brothers, she'd sum up the courage and tell him her nightmare problems. He'd listen, and Lanie was relieved that she could trust her cousin. Sometimes she wished he was her brother, but it was never meant to be. Sure, she had friends who cared about her like a sister, but for some reason she couldn't tell them her actual problems. At first, Tait thought the nightmares she had were just a small thing that would leave within a few weeks. But when Lanie finally got Tait to herself in private and told him her fifteenth one, he knew something was terribly wrong. The sixteen year old knew he was thinking of telling her parents, and made him swear that he never would. He kept his promise, but said that if she gets physically hurt from the nightmares, he will tell them. Nalanie agreed to the term.

_I wonder what he'll say about this one when I see him…when he's back from college._ She took a swig of milk and clunked the glass back on the table.

Lanie was just out the door to the school bus with Colby when her mom stopped her. "Nalanie, before you go, I want a quick word."

"Ugh…what?" the daughter groaned, turning slowly to face her nagging mother.

"Look, I know it's aggravating being a teenager, but things will look better, I promise. Just be happy and focus on the good." Mom patted her shoulder.

Lanie squirmed nervously and shirked her eyesight from her mother. "That's not the reason why I'm…different."

"Can I hear why, then?" Mom tried keeping her voice level as her eldest child thrust open the door leading to the hot environment.

"…No." the girl looked down, ashamed at her fears.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hheeeerrrreees chapter 2! Enjoy. Aren't you lucky? No stalling! ^_^**

She sat patiently on the bus next to one of her best friends, Kimi. Kimi was a girl completely immune to nightmares. She never had them! When Lanie made the mistake of sharing a nightmare to her, Kimi gave her a horrified look that such things would cross her sleeping mind. Lanie would try to defend herself that it wasn't her fault it came to her like that. The one she told Kimi was when she was climbing a tree that felt like sharp thistles and nails, and she was trying to reach the top before she could fall. Then something laughed from above, and she stopped to stare at it. Lanie couldn't clearly see it because the sun was shining brightly on the figure, blinding her vision a bit. Yes, she knew the thing up at the top was something bad, but with the sun shining on it at that certain angle, it looked like a holy being. It looked superior to her, with authority. When Lanie tried moving closer to the figure, it jumped. It jumped from the top branch where she was trying to climb to, falling towards her. She could easily make out a menacing grin on its face as it drew closer. Instinct took over, and she let go of the branches to protect her face. She fell and fell, tumbling through the air, adrenaline rushing to her throat. She landed into a lake, and slowly sank to the bottom. Sand covered the floor of the lake and a bottle was lodged into the sand close to her, holding a note. She felt her breath hardening in her lungs, but was too curious on what was in that bottle. She looked up towards the surface of the lake, where the sun turned dangerously red. A voice rung in her ears in that same low yet teasing voice, "Your dreams are over."

That was the first and last time Lanie would share a nightmare she had to Kimi. She clearly remembered when Kimi claimed she had a technique to ward off nightmares, and her favorite one is lucid dreaming with ambient music on. Lanie tried that the next night, but woke up sweating and screaming her heart out into her pillow, never again listening to the programmed forest and wolf noises. Lanie tried dream catchers, which worked for a few days. But when she had another terrible nightmare and woke up in the dead of night, the dream catcher was on the floor behind her bed, torn apart and broken. She had a feeling she was cursed. She thought she knew she was cursed.

"So, Lanie!" Kimi sang, "Today is our second to last day of school! You excited?" the girl's best friend nudged her playfully in the side.

"Elated." Lanie said in a monotone voice.

"Bad sleep, huh?" her friend frowned. Lanie wasn't good at lying, and she knew that. Lanie knew that, too, but it was a whole lot better than telling the numerous bad dreams she had. Kimi knew she had frequent nightmares, even if Lanie only shared one to her. Now don't go thinking the girl _always _had nightmares. Occasionally, she'd have bittersweet dreams that would sometimes turn into an impossible dream. What's odd is that Lanie preferred waking up in the dead of night from fear rather late in the morning with tears rolling down her eyes, knowing that those good dreams are impossible to have. Lanie's favorite one that she could easily remember and cherished most was on her birthday. Oddly enough, she always got pleasant dreams on the night before and after her birthday. This dream that she loved so much had beautiful weather. The sun shone brightly on ancient Roman pillars of pearl, and just like in Ancient Rome, had beautiful sparkling baths with emerald and gold mosaics, glittering in the aqua water. Some of the pillars that surrounded the baths had thin silk dangling from their tops, an occasional weave of ivy twisting around them. A cool wind would blow her hair back, making a smile spread across her face. She'd dip her feet into the baths, and it felt relaxing and warm. Lazy turtles milled around the fountains, and small koi fish swam playfully like goldfish in the streams. Giant storks and herons with royal blue and lavender purple feathers flew to the air in pairs, and an occasional chick-a-dee would titter near Lanie's ear, making her giggle. Suddenly, a tall and agile figure would appear from brambles of thorny ballerina roses and large lilies. He wore clothes that were loose and soft to the touch, and the sight of him made Lanie immediately admire him. Of course, being it a dream, the young girl couldn't recall the gentleman's face, but she knew she loved him. He'd smile at her lovingly as they touched hands and sat next to her near the bath. They sat and talked on soft down pillows, sipping on nectar tea and sometimes offering each other hot cakes. They'd grin foolishly as fireworks burst in the sky, and a long, shining aurora billowed in the now navy blue sky. The man drew her close to his chest as they watched pink and yellow nebula travel sluggishly across the sky, whispering sweet nothings. Her favorite words she heard from him against his strong chest were, "They can't compare to you…not even close." "You're always going to be mine, and I'll see you someday in the real world." "You're the real love of my life." "I'll never let you go."

But that dream would end when someone would wake her up, and they'd witness her tears. She'd shake with sadness, knowing that the love she dreamed would never occur. She was hated and ignored in her school, the boys preferring a girl with a higher skirt and actual lipstick rather than cherry or vanilla lip gloss. They want high heels, not converse or Toms. They like thigh high dresses, not jeans or madras shirts. They like fake, platinum blondes and girls who whip her hair back and forth, not girls with brown hair that reached their neck, not their back. They want sex, not actual love. Lanie was a hopeless wreck. Because of their contempt, she hated herself. She didn't understand why girls would wear such uncomfortable clothes just for attention, when they have the power to wear awesomely comfortable jeans or logoed t-shirts. Make up never made any sense to Lanie. She saw it as an image changing product for girls who hate their actual eyebrows and eyes. Something to keep her lips smooth and concealer were enough for her, but it never did any difference. Even her good grades, her creative skill, her fencing skill, her fast movements in the woods like a deer, and her hilarious jokes wouldn't soften even the most dreadful man.

The things that people do for love…are impossible.

"LANIE!" three loud voices shouted at her, startling her from her thoughts.

"Are you ok?" her good friend Margaret asked, poking her in the arm with a pencil.

"Y-yeah I-"

"Girl, you're not. You've been weird for the past week." Jen raised an eyebrow.

"Guys, she hasn't been getting enough sleep lately." Kimi muttered.

"I'm fine ok!? I just…yes, Kimi's right. I just need to relax." Lanie rubbed her head as they made their way to their Biology class.

Lanie was definitely not looking forward to today's lesson. She didn't think her teacher understands that it's the second to last day of school, and many teachers are just letting their students hang around in class, read books, or watch movies. Of course, if she's going to spend the class watching that Life documentary, she'll finally get a quick eye shut on her hard desk. But of course, her teacher has to surprise them in every lesson. They plopped their lightweight book bags onto the floor, fidgeting in their seats for the bell. Lanie felt her eyes already droop, but forced them back open when her Biology teacher entered the humid classroom. All the girls turned to swoon over Mr. Moore's beautiful complexion. _Yeah, beautiful…not handsome._ Lanie tried to hide a snicker at her silly thought. Sure, she loved Biology class and thought Mr. Moore was nice enough, but he honestly made it too clear he loved his face. He looked like a California beach boy out of college, with eyes like the rough seas. _No wonder he's got a job here, _thought Lanie, _he only needed to charm the principal._

The bell rang, and when Mr. Moore finished writing today's lesson on the board, he turned to smile at the class with a pearly white grin.

"Good morning, class!"

"Good morning, Mr. Moore." Some kids replied sourly.

Jen leaned over to Lanie, "I don't blame them for saying it like that. He always greets us…he's always happy."

"It's so cute! Gosh, too bad he's a teacher. I'd be all over him." Margaret sighed dreamily.

Margie was sounding like the group of blondes from Beauty and the Beast. Lanie silently giggled, "He sure is a Gaston." She said to herself.

"What was that?" Kimi asked, taking out her notebook.

"Nothing!" Lanie sang with a smile.

The class was drilled through with cell division, cell parts, the what-ifs of a cellular disease, on and on Mr. Moore went. He kept his eyes on the girls mostly, keen on the pretty ones. Basically, he had his eyes on Jen, Margaret and Kimi…not Lanie. _As usual, of course._ She rolled her eyes as he winked after telling the worst mitosis joke anyone could think of.

"So, boys and girls, now we're going to set up into groups and discuss the process of mitosis and explain the difference to meiosis. You may choose your own partner, but don't talk about anything else besides…SCIENCE!" Mr. Moore applauded.

"Joy. Margie, call dibs!" Lanie high fived Margaret as they sat next to each other.

Before anyone could notice, a sudden chill settled in the room, making everyone shudder. It wasn't cold, it just felt…creepy. As if they're being watched by monsters. Mr. Moore suggested calling the custodian to see if the room temperature was acting up again, but when he looked at the thermostat, it read the normal reading. Lanie looked at Margie, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe it's just the weather outside." Margaret smiled and fiddled with her pink pen.

But she was wrong, oh so very wrong. Before the chilling died down, a dark and mysterious voice spoke to Lanie, that no one else heard. "You remember me?" she froze from listening to Margie and looked straight up, listening for more. When Margie asked what was wrong, Lanie held up her hand, whispering, "Shh…something's wrong."

"I'll give you a hint, my dear," the low voice chuckled in her mind, "Your dreams are over. You've sealed the deal."

"OH GOD!" Lanie stood up abruptly, everyone staring at her in irritation and curiosity. She knew that voice. She definitely knew that voice.

Before Mr. Moore could reprimand his strange acting student, the loud speaker fizzled on. Everyone froze in their place to listen, and it sounded like the women working in the office were holding back tears.

"T-this is a *whimper* C-Code Red. This is not a drill. Teachers, please protect-"and suddenly, the announcer, Ms. Steiner, gasped in fright. The class heard a thump, which probably meant Ms. Steiner was on the ground.

Everyone hustled quickly and quietly to the back of the room or under the lab desks. Mr. Moore quickly drew the blinds and shut off his computer, then hurriedly checked to make sure everyone was there. There lay all the students, including the small group of friends.

"What's going on?" Jen hissed under her breath.

"I think I know…" Lanie checked over her shoulder, "But you guys won't believe me."

"Sure we will!" Kimi nudged her worriedly.

"Girls! Be quiet!" hushed Mr. Moore.

Before anyone could say anything else, something caught Lanie's eye. They rose like smoke from the floor of the science room, twisting in the air.

"…look…slowly." Lanie didn't look away from the familiar black shapes.

Jen, Kimi, and Margie turned slowly to look at what has Lanie's attention. They held in their breath. About five long, sand like strands were slithering across the floor in their direction, probably sniffing out their prey. _They're here for me! _A voice screamed in Lanie's mind. She knew those weird things. They were in her nightmare! Lanie watched one silently sneak up behind Kimi, threatening to twist around her neck.

"No!" she shoved Kimi out of the way, causing the snake like thing to wrap around her shoulders and tug her towards the door.

Everyone started screaming, seeing Lanie was being dragged away by a rope-thick, sand tentacle. That's when the other sand snakes charged towards the students. They exploded in their faces, causing the sand to get in their eyes. Soon, they fell into a sleep filled with nightmares. Some students whimpered or cried in their deep sleep, unable to resist the terror.

"NO! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!" Lanie somehow fought herself out of the sand rope's grip and quickly sprang up from the ground. She sprinted to the door, thrust it open, and continued running down the school hallway, leaving her friends and fellow students behind, too scared to go back and help them. The lights flickered on and off, then finally stayed dark. Coldness traveled up her spine as she jumped the stairs, landing on her feet and hands like daily parkour pros. She heard two sharp cracks, but ignored the noise and kept on running. A masculine voice chuckled close by, causing her to run faster.

"Silly beauty. You think you can escape?"

_Is…is my shadow saying that?_ There was no one else around her, but she could tell there were other people in the building. In classrooms and teacher lounges, she heard scared moaning and quiet crying, burning her slowly to guilt for not helping them. She turned the corner on her heel, making a squealing noise, and then dashed down the hallway towards the main lobby.

"Maybe…maybe if I make it outside, it'll be okay. Nothing will hurt me outside…hopefully." The young girl panted as she charged up the ramp to the front lobby.

She was immediately stopped in her tracks. The horrors, the terror she saw consuming her home, her school, literally made her faint at the sight. But she held strong. Yet, she couldn't help but scream seeing black horses made of sand with glowing, yellow eyes trample over sleeping people and encircling two people Lanie knew directly. Her very best friend, lifelong one too, was in the clutches of a man clad in black. He had a good grip around her neck, making her friend's eyes widen as air was harder to breathe in. Her feet were five inches off the ground, and her hands were trying to pry this man's strong hand off her neck. This brute wore only a black robe, but his legs were so black along with them, he looked like it was a complete outfit. His skin was a pale grey, smooth and clean. His raven black hair was slicked back like a wave of darkness, ending in spikes in the air…as if it would help him camouflage in the night. Lanie couldn't see his face, but knew he was having a ton of fun choking the life out of her best friend.

"I'll ask one more time, girl, where she is. Unless you want to see these humans die of fright, then I'll be happy to oblige and find her myself." This man spat.

"G…go to hell!" Ninet, Lanie's friend, finally choked out.

The man chuckled, "Where do you think I come from? Look at me…" He grinned as he finally tossed her to the ground. Her head thumped against the hard carpet of the lobby, making her lose half her consciousness. "I want to see you be filled with fear." The man sneered, reaching for her throat again.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Lanie finally screamed. Before the man knew who it was and he could turn around to see, she punched him right in the side of his face, knocking him down to the ground a few feet away.

"Lanie! Get out of here!" Ninet shoved her friend's hands away, not wanting her help.

"Why? Ninet, what's going on!?" Lanie rushed.

"He's after you!" Ninet screamed, pointing behind her.

Swiftly, arms wrapped around Lanie's waist and lifted her up off the ground threateningly. The victim shrieked as she tried struggling against this guy's grip, but it was proved harder than the sand rope she fought in the Biology classroom. His hand forced her head upwards as he held firm, and Lanie panted with fright.

"About time we meet in reality, my dear." He crooned, his breath tickling her neck.

She couldn't find any words to say to this…thing. This whole terror was a nightmare come true. All those terrible dreams she had were finally coming to life. She knew this man. She knew he was from her bad dreams, and he was out to get her like he promised. How he told her she 'sealed the deal', or whatever that meant, he actually meant it. _He's a man who keeps to his word._ Lanie tried not to shout when his arm tightened around her chest.

"Do you know who I am?" he smiled wickedly, breathing in the scent of her hair, smelling of vanilla and cinnamon.

"Y-yes…" Lanie whispered. She wanted to burst into tears. She wanted to fight against him and help Ninet who was witnessing all of this, but she couldn't. She was pinned against his chest with her arms tightly at her sides. She can't escape him.

"Good," he spun her around to face him. She held in a gasp from his face. She knew that face all too well. The gold eyes that shone in her direction were from her previous nightmare that somehow calmed her down. They could be scary looking to a lot of folks, but strangely, not to her. But with the fire in his eyes, both of anger and victory, it scared her to death. This was the guy who haunted all her nightmares, was with her the entire time, torturing her. How could she not remember those eyes? It oddly made her heart beat slower than before.

"It's about time you meet the Boogeyman."

**BUM BUM BUUUUUMM! I know, quite a twister. Too long of a chapter? Yeah, my bad. There'll be more, probably. Speaking of twister, Imma go play that game. HEY PITCH! Wanna play Twister with me?! :D**

**Pitch: You touch me and I will kill you.**

**Me: Fine. I'll ask Jack.**

**Pitch: Ugh...fine.**

**Me: YAY!**


	3. Chapter 3

**OH MAH GAWD you guys are AMAZING! I literally just uploaded the first chapter within one day and there's already FIE REVIEWS! This is thr best thing to wake up to on a snow day! (Thank you Jack Frost). To Nausicaa of the Spirits: I totally agree! To Jaina Solo97: Thank ya very much! And to Lady Minuialwen: You have such a pretty name! Kay, before I continue, remember how last time me and Pitch played twister? If you guys wanna see a picture I drew for that, tell me and I'll put the link into the next chapter. HAVE FUN READING!**

All Lanie remembered was fainting. She fainted after his creepy words, right into his arms. What she didn't remember was the screams from Ninet and how she tried tackling the Boogeyman in order to save her best friend. But the evil man just scoffed and kicked her to the side as she came charging at him. Ninet hit the brick wall and slumped down, finally unconscious.

The Boogeyman, also known as Pitch Black, felt very accomplished at this nightmarish task. After his defeat from the Guardians, it took him years to regain his strength and spread fear over the world. Of course, he met Lanie when she was thirteen. He was taken by her just when he laid eyes on her, but knew better than to share it then. Look at it closely: why would a man like him become attracted to someone very younger than him? So he waited, and while he waited, he made poor Lanie suffer under his power. While giving her new nightmares, he came to a conclusion to his dilemma: She can help him rise to power. If he's followed her and stayed with her for three years in a row, surely the Man in the Moon doesn't object to this. He would've acted now and sent the Guardians after him, but nothing happened. That became a green light for him to continue, and make progressing plans for his girl. He remembers complaining to the Guardians after a battle how he was tired of being alone with no family and no belief. _Maybe I'm tired of hiding under beds!_ He shouted at Father Christmas himself. Of course, none of the Guardians understood him. They only were focused on weakening him and protecting the children of the world with their 'Guardian Utopia.' The Guardians consisted of Father Christmas (aka North), Bunnymund, Tooth Fairy, Sandman, and Jack Frost. _Ugh, the thought of him makes me want to puke._ Pitch thought as he carried Lanie into the darkened shadows. With the ability to travel by shadows, it only took him three seconds to reach his lair. Pitch Black's home was like an underground, Roman castle. Creepy black cages hung from the upper roofs, and stairs twisted in odd angles as they descended and traveled upwards. He loved the place, especially for its lack of light. However, it had more light than his previous lair, but it was enough to keep him content.

Lanie moved in his arms, trying to fight off a nightmare he laid on her to prevent her awakening. Now that she was sixteen and older than before, he can allow himself the thoughts and feelings for her. Sure, he knows for a fact that Lanie may hate him for torturing her for three years, but Pitch knows she'll be crawling to him for acceptance. It was easy being so evil for Pitch. Due to his experience in the Dark Ages, also paying attention to time in the Age of Chivalry, he perfected the arts of a dark heart. To a person's face, he acts as their friend. But behind their back, he's ready to strike and shows no mercy. If a person does not cooperate with the Boogeyman, he makes sure they learn their lesson and leaves them to suffer. He's a seductive, eloquent man who's skilled in power and manipulating people's minds. He always gets their guards down before attacking. That's how he almost won a victory against the Guardians…but of course the belief came back for them. Pitch fought off a smile as Lanie moaned as he dropped her on the ground, the sudden coldness making her shudder.

"This is where I let you freak out all you want, Nalanie Sheridan." He grinned spitefully, and then disappeared into the shadows, keeping his eyes on his prey.

The girl's green eyes shot open finally, feeling the cold, marble floor on her cheek. She slowly sat up, not letting her breath escape her chest too quickly. Where the heck was she? This was definitely NOT the school. Suddenly, she remembered. She remembered Ninet being hurt, the entanglement of those black sand things, the gold eyes…his gold eyes. She sprang up from the ground, but a sudden sharp pain tore in both her feet. She fell to her knees, willing to lie on her back. Her ankles were searing with unbearable pain, and Lanie could do nothing to ease it.

"Why…Why are my ankles freaking hurting?!" Lanie yelled, slamming her fist against the ground.

"Because you jumped three flights of stairs, my dear." Pitch chuckled.

Her head jerked in his direction, making a crick in her neck. She muttered an 'ow', but kept her hate-filled eyes on the man who abducted her. He appeared out of the shadows with victory written all over his face.

"You disgusting, creepy, child abducting-!" Lanie hissed as she tried to sit up on her knees, but the sudden movement made sharp agony ring up her nerves.

"Nalanie, you should've known better than to jump from a height like that." Pitch frowned disapprovingly, folding his hands behind his back.

"I had a reason to, _Boogerman_, " she spat, "I did it in order to escape those THINGS you sent after me."

"Yes, my little fearlings told me of your play date. Played a little too rough, didn't they?" Pitch sneered as the fearlings that trapped her in the Biology class appeared behind him. They threatened to move towards her, but Pitch made them disappear.

"Hardly. Skip the formality, you creep. I'm not showing any kindness after what you've done to my friends." She evaded her eyes.

"And tell me truthfully, Nalanie, are ALL of those children at your school your companions?" Pitch walked slowly towards her.

"N-no…" she bit her lip.

"Tell me, before you continue, how many companions you have in total?" Pitch smiled behind her back as he encircled her, completely superior towards the frail girl.

"…f-four. No more than four."

"So…you're all alone most of the time, yes?" Pitch stopped in front of her.

Lanie didn't say anything. Her silence made Pitch turn to look at her for a reaction, but none came. Her head was bowed to the ground, her hair falling like a short waterfall. The limited light that entered the lair shone on her brown hair, making it look like shining lake stones.

"I knew it," Pitch grinned after a moments worth of quiet, "you've always been alone. No one would care for you when you needed it."

"That's not true!" Lanie's head snapped up to stare Pitch straight in the eyes. He bent down to her level, posing a threat that she was a worthless child that he would take pleasure out of.

"Mom and Dad were always there for me. They provided things a mother and father would for any child they loved, and at least I HAD friends. Then you had to come along and ruin everything! It's your entire fault everyone avoids me and doesn't like me being around them!" she yelled in his face, then raised a fist to drop down on his skull.

Pitch caught it just in time, as if it were simply swatting a fly away. He snickered as she tried pulling away from him, but he held tight to her wrist. "I did it for a reason, didn't I, Nalanie?" he crooned.

His prey gave him a confused look, mixed with fright. Gosh, he loved that expression. Seeing fright written on every kid's face was a joy to him, but hers was valuable. No one could pull of a terrified face like her, and it was the only face that could make his nasty heart double beat. He released her, feeling uncomfortable warmth from her reaction, causing her to fall to her side. She sat up and watched him slowly walk around his lair.

"Before I haunted you, I had been defeated by the cruelest beings in the world. They're called the Guardians, but you would know them as Sandman, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and Jack Frost," Pitch spat out each name as if they were a bad flavor.

"I never thought Jack Frost existed, but go on." Lanie stated.

"I wanted the entire world to be filled with fear, in order to be believed in. I was tired of hearing centuries of parents telling their kids that I don't exist. Well, I finally had the last straw. I almost gained impossible power, something no other man could think of, but…"

"They brought you back to the dark." Pitch could vaguely hear Lanie's compassion in her voice.

"They ruined me. I was tired of hiding under beds, in closets, and only feeding off of dreams. I wanted more, and I got the final punch. I was weak for years, but then the new generations of children gave me back some of my might. Especially, you. That's where you came in. I first met you when you were six, but I thought nothing of you except for a gateway to fear. Years later, I visited you when you were thirteen, and…I realized something…" Pitch's eyes softened as he watched his nightmare steeds pound at the ground, not bearing to look at Lanie.

She was stunned at all of this. The Boogeyman basically followed her for most of her life, for a goal that she didn't want to think of. She knew he needed her for something, and she certainly wasn't ready to give it to him, ever. The mere thought of being in his so-called home, restrained on the ground from two injuries and listening to his silken voice made her cringe.

"In order to not be alone, you have to take what you need." Pitch turned to look at her, a slight look of wanting behind those gold eyes of his. "I know what I need. The need for comfort, for acceptance, for a family…for love…" Pitch was deep in thought about this.

"Like I'd ever give you any of those things." Lanie said strongly to his back.

Pitch simply chuckled at her statement, amused at her weak appearance she was posing. He knew she was rather weak and can't fully protect herself, but she kept a strong voice and mind to alter the look. It was somewhat pleasing to him.

"I'm not asking for those things yet, my dear. All in good time." Pitch suddenly appeared in front of her, making her try to move back without injuring her twisted ankles.

"I simply want pleasure from you, both externally and internally." Pitch's hand reached out to stroke her cheek, but she moved her head out of the way.

"You're revolting, you bastard." Lanie tried backhanding him, but he caught her hand again.

"I didn't mean it like that, my dear. Unless you like the idea of spending nights like that instead of stuck in a cage or a dark room, I'd be happy to make that happen."

"I'd never do that, even in the face of Death. The Guardians will save me, and you'll be sorry." Lanie leaned dangerously close to his face.

Pitch laughed before picking her up bridal style, "You certainly act like a child, but you aren't one anymore."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lanie stared at him as he walked towards a staircase.

"The Guardians are the protectors of children, not teenagers."

His bluntness scared her. If the Guardians only protect kids, what about the others in the world? They were all children once in their life, and many people still needed that protection, especially her. She finally made up her mind to keep on resisting this Boogeyman. She glared at him as they ended at the top of a staircase leading to a long, dark hallway.

"Drop me. I don't want to be carried like this by my kidnapper." she tried pushing her body away from his chest, but he just pulled her back.

"And what will you do then? You can't move anywhere with your injury. Either I carry you, or…" he chuckled as two black, nightmare stallions cantered up the hallway, making Lanie squeal and close her eyes in shock.

"Or my pretty nightmares can carry you to your room." Pitch held out her shivering body closer to the nightmares. She whimpered as they sniffed her and she felt their sandy manes brush her arms.

"Well? What's your choice?" Pitch brought her body even closer to the nightmares, making Lanie stare at their glowing, yellow eyes. This did enough to scare the daylights out of her.

"GYAH!" she shrieked and shot back against Pitch's chest, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face against his shoulder. He smelled of earth and cedar wood, probably because a cedar forest was located right above the lair.

"That settles it, then." Pitch smirked as he walked down the hall and into Lanie's supposed new bedroom. The young girl was still too consumed with fright to look around at her new location, but immediately let go of her captor once he dropped her on the bed.

"I should do that more often to get that reaction out of you, Nalanie." Pitch stated. He turned on his heel to leave her room, but stopped at the door.

"I must inform you of one thing, my dear Nalanie," he murmured.

From where she lay, she tried sitting up on her elbows to peer at the Boogeyman.

"Now that you're here and all mine, you can never go back to your world. You can never see your family or your home again. Do enjoy your stay!" He finished with a cruel grin, and slammed the door closed, his laugh ringing in her ears.

Lanie stared at the now shut doors in horror. _Here…forever?!_ She can't live that long. Shock rippled down her body, making sudden grief cloak her greatly. One tear trickling down her cheek soon became multiple tears, followed by cries escaping her throat. She can't see her mother, her father, her brothers or her friends. She didn't get to say goodbye or give them a parting hug. She could almost hear their voices:

"My daughter… my poor, poor daughter!" her mother sobbed as the police told of her abduction.

"Ellie's not coming home? Ever?" Colby's voice shook.

"Why would someone do this to her?!" yelled Charlie in defeat.

"I can't believe it…she's gone…" her father moaned over and over.

"It's my entire fault! It's all my fault that man took her away." Ninet groans into her arms.

"How would anyone believe this?" Jen questioned through tears.

"Oh God, it just isn't fair…" Margaret cried.

"I want her back…I don't like this." Kimi whimpered.

All the voices she heard were real. She overheard every voice she cared about that was affected by her disappearance. While gone, Ninet had no choice but to explain to the police of what she saw. They didn't believe her. They only believed the part of the 'psychotic man' calling him the Boogeyman. They didn't believe the black fearlings and the nightmares. The entire school knew the truth, but no one noticed Lanie missing until she was broadcasted all over her home. When the police had no evidence to report of and no hope in finding her, they had no choice but to arrive at the Sheridan's household and tell them of Lanie's forever disappearance.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Sheridan, but your daughter isn't coming home anytime soon." One officer said.

"But…but will there ever be?!" Mom gripped the doorframe from fainting.

"I don't know ma'am. I'm very sorry."


	4. Chapter 4

**Da da da dum! Ladies and gentlemen, now presenting Chapter 4! Kay, so I woke up today with a bombardment of fanfiction notifications, which is AWESOME! :D Love the reviews! Here ya go!**

Back in the lair, even after hours after everyone's grief realization and Pitch finished his daily rounds of spreading nightly fear, the first sound he heard while climbing the stairs to the hallway was Lanie's crying. He was disturbed at first, how a girl could have a good cry that long, but soon the feeling of guilt swept over his cold heart. Clearly, he dropped the bombshell too quick. He knows he can't give her up and allow her to return to her world, because he won't be the only one to face certain problems. Once a human enters his lair, they're gone from the face of the earth. They're neither immortal nor mortal. So if she ever finds an escape and tries to return, she would not be seen by her family. Only those who don't know her would see her. He bit his lip as he drew closer to her door, hearing her cries draw to a slow sob instead of a wail. _Does she sense my presence?_ He dared himself to twist the doorknob and creak open the grand door.

Lanie was sound asleep, but she was still tearing up. She was sprawled on the luxurious bed with her arm almost hanging off the side. Pitch found himself walking towards her, unable to stop his feet from moving forward. Lanie shuddered and sighed, a single tear stuck on her cheekbone. _What the heck am I doing? I shouldn't be doing this…_ The Boogeyman sat next to her on the bed and simply watched her, not willing to touch her hair or her face, unless he wanted for her to have another nightmare.

"Why must you do this to me?" Pitch whispered, his fingers clenching the blankets as he stared at his captured beauty. "No one else could make me feel like this…"

Lanie must have sensed him sitting near her and heard his voice through her dream. Amidst her dreams of sorrow and family, she heard him. She didn't see him, but there's a catch to it all. She thought he was the man from her bittersweet, impossible dream. While slumbering, she moved closer to him, laying her head on his lap. Pitch grimaced at the cuteness of it all. "This is way too endearing; I won't be able to control myself." Pitch tried moving her off him, but she didn't want to budge.

"No…get off…" Pitch tucked his arm underneath her head and somehow managed to pick her up off his lap. She looked like a sleeping baby, her head turned to the side. He laid her under the thick, multiple blankets, happy to let her go. She didn't follow him, but she was calmer than before. Pitch watched her sleep for a little while longer, before tucking a strand of golden brown hair behind her ear.

"Pleasant nightmares, my sweet Nalanie." He muttered, tracing his index finger along the contour of her cheekbone.

That morning, Lanie made up her mind to accept the fact she can't leave her prison. She's the Beauty, Pitch is the Beast. The only exception that she knows is that she'll never love a beast like him; she just can't see it ever happening. The sixteen year old opened her eyes, feeling the velvet and cotton blankets smothering her. She looked up to see glossy, ebony walls. The bed had multiple shades of black, but a hint of red caught her eye as well. _Freak…he even knows my favorite color._ The floor was dark mahogany wood, and furry God-knows-what rugs were scattered here and there.

"This is…historical?" she awkwardly got up out of bed, scanning her new room for any odd things…that basically was everything.

She found her way to her so called closet and whipped open the doors. It was long, like a runway. She strolled down the walk-in closet, looking at her clothes. Half of them were some she used to own, and when she lived the good life, she thought she lost them.

"Ugh, he stole these from me? What a creep!" Lanie exclaimed, finding her favorite pair of sweatpants.

The other half of the wardrobe consisted of clothes she's never seen before. Dresses of the color of nightshade plants to complete blackness ranged in the odds of hundreds. She felt her nose crinkle up in disgust at the thought of wearing one of these. _It's as if he wants me to be completely his._ She carefully plucked a dress out of its hook. It was dark, just like the other ones, but had little amber gemstones trailing along the neckline and down the front of the dress. It was a ball gown like a princess's from a fairytale…a dark fairy tale. Lanie wondered if it even fitted her. Just then, the dress seemed to move closer. Her eyes widened as the dress melted into sand and wrapped around her body, forming the shape of the dress.

"Oh, God, help me!" Lanie watched in horror as the dress formed back into the pretty gown it was before.

"How did it do that?! How did it know I was thinking that?! Wait a minute…" Lanie stopped to ponder. Finally realizing the culprit behind this, she felt her face twist into a look of pure anger.

"BOOGEYMAN!"

Her voice echoed all over the walls of the lair, making Pitch's nightmares stir and pound the ground in annoyance. Pitch jumped at the sudden scream and turned towards the stairs where her room lay. She was already halfway down in a fuming rage, glaring at him like he was her next punching bag. Even with her rage being clearly shown, Pitch lost his breath at the sight of his treasure. She looked…stunning. No, she was stunning, even with her temper. It gave her a mighty air about her. He smiled humorously at his trick, but decided to play with Lanie's anger.

"What's wrong, my dear? I can't understand why you'd be upset in something that elegant." Pitch gestured to her ball gown.

She pointed a finger at him threateningly. She knew what he was doing. He was toying with her. "This is all your fault!"

"My fault?" Pitch mockingly gasped, "How's this my fault?"

"You control these goddamned things! Maybe I didn't want to wear this girly girl getup, huh? Ever thought of that?" Lanie burst, throwing her hands down in anguish.

"I'm pretty sure your parents didn't raise you with that word, did they?" Pitch folded his arms maturely.

Lanie rolled her eyes and mimicked his arm movement. "I'm pretty sure your parents didn't raise you as an evil fear-bringing beast, did they?"

Pitch pretended to hiss in pain through his teeth, and then thumped his chest where his heart was. "Those tough words of yours got me right here…scarcely." Pitch laughed. With that, he began to walk away from the current boring situation.

"Don't you walk away from me! I'm not finished!" Lanie chased after him, trying to keep up in her heavy gown.

"Ugh, please, I'm not married to you yet." Pitch groaned as he walked up the stairs.

"What do you mean 'yet'?! You were planning on doing that?" Lanie shrieked.

"Scratch that. I meant we're not married AT ALL. And another thing," he turned to look at her, his eyes gleaming with irritation. Swiftly, he pinned her against the wall, his arm trapping her right across her collar bone.

"Mind keeping it down? I don't want you getting the Guardians attention." Pitch growled. No matter that, Lanie was no longer scared of him. Her hatred forced that fear away, plus she was used to it.

"That'll be the day." she said right to his face.

The next thing Pitch did alarmed her. She thought she was on a roll with all those taunts and remarks she threw at him, but apparently, he knew she would. As always expected, the Boogeyman had a backup plan. When would he not? He let go of her and paced a few steps back. A small chuckle grew into a laugh, making Lanie's fear bubble up in her gut. Sure, even she would admit it was a nice laugh, despite the fact it's an evil one. But she knew better than to admit it, let alone think it out loud.

"Excuse my rudeness, dear Nalanie. But I believe I made it pretty-how do you say-goddamned clear they won't bother finding you. I know the Guardians like the back of my hand." He lifted his head in pride.

Lanie stared at him. _Shocking…He's so confident. Even after a defeat, he still acts superior._ She liked that kind of trait in a man. She likes seeing no one give up, and he certainly fits the bill. But…if he knows so much about the Guardians, what about her? He 'stalked' her every night, and probably day, so wouldn't he know her as much as his other back hand? Whatever was happening to Lanie's thoughts made her start to admire this strange gent. The way he talked, his highly air, his self-confidence, his demeanor altogether was admirable to her. It almost made her feel…left in the dust. As if she wasn't part of his life, like she was then.

"What about me? Am I on your other hand?" she harmlessly asked him.

His next action surprised her, too. His prideful expression lowered to deep thought, his eyes becoming soft at her question. He didn't look at her. _Of course the maiden asks that…_ that same voice in his head mumbled. The question lingered in the air, Lanie waiting patiently with her hands folded against her dress, like a thoughtful queen.

"I…I wouldn't know. Maybe that's why I visited you frequently," Pitch turned to her, "You keep surprising me in every way. I would think I know you entirely, but then you'd somehow prove me wrong. It's as if you keep me on my toes." He trailed off when she smiled at him. It was the first time he saw her smile. Well, directed to him. The last time he saw her smile truly like that was on Christmas Day. Her last Christmas.

"It's what I do. Sometimes it surprises me, too." she flashed a pearly white smile she knew was a cute one.

Pitch chuckled at her humor, failing to keep it in. He stared at the flight of steps that led to the hallway. "Well, I don't think I've ever gotten you right yet, but I'm sure I'll get there. Depends on what you think of me." He glanced back at her, his eyes glinting with something she did not recognize.

"Hey, you knew my favorite color was red! That's a good start." Lanie nodded her head towards her bedroom. Pitch looked in that direction, then back at her with a hidden grin on his face.

"That one was too easy. All I had to do was look at your room."

"And you also have some of my favorite clothes in that nifty wardrobe you gave me. That completely threw me off finding those!" she said contently.

_The way I say his deeds make him sound compassionate. He actually took the time to learn what I liked and disliked…hopefully he knows what I don't like._ She thought, watching Pitch's golden eyes.

"I am pretty sure I know the things you hate, as well." Pitch smirked, knowing she was thinking that thought. Her surprised face made him chuckle again.

"Let's see…where to start?" Pitch teasingly paced around her in circles, his girl watching his every move with a small grin.

"You really hate grey; I know that for a fact." Pitch started. She nodded for him to continue.

"You also don't like anything slimy. You hate your school's cheerleading team,"

"They're a bunch of pricks." Lanie cut in.

"You think Physics class is a waste of your life. You don't like it when your brother Charlie takes your guitar and uses it. You don't like riding planes, and you're also not a huge fan of spiders." Pitch finished.

"Wow, you really know me to the core." Lanie beamed up at him when he stared down at her, now close to her face. He scoffed in reply, and then moved back, walking away from her with his hands behind his back.

"Hardly. I've noticed you always point out the negatives before the positives, so it was easy for me to pick up what you didn't like. I don't know a lot of what you do enjoy in life." He said roughly.

"Hey, yes you do! Don't go beating yourself up for that." she ran over to him and tugged on his arm a bit, his face turning towards her, "Why do you think I had a guitar in my room in the first place?"

He stared at her, not bothering to answer her question. He's never seen her…cheerful. Her newfound energy that overflowed with happiness was somewhat appealing to him. He even considered it cute. He was too transfixed on her staring up at him like he was worth something important to her.

"I love playing the guitar! Especially when I finish my homework. It lets me unwind and actually make me relax. I also love the stars. When I went to my summer home, I would just lie out on the beach at night and watch the stars. I also like fairytales. I may be sixteen, but I still get a thrill out of Grimm's Fairy Tales. And I also love candy. Especially M&Ms and Pop Rocks!" Lanie bounced up and down, excited at the thought of its sudden sweetness and the thrill of eating such candies.

"I have to confess, I've tried a certain candy I really enjoy." Pitch smiled down at her.

Her heart fluttered in her chest seeing that smile. It was the first one she saw that had no harm involved behind it. She felt her eyes widen with anticipation of hearing this. Who knew the Boogeyman would fess up to a sweet treat?

"Almond Joys. Those sweets…I don't understand why I like them. I think it's the chocolate and the almonds. I can't really remember my reason behind trying it. All I remember was that it was Halloween, and I was walking in some street. There was a bowl out there in the open that said Take One. I couldn't help it, because that Almond Joy was literally teasing me…" he trailed off at that thought. The last time he had one of those was back in the 1970s. He'd always wished for one now and then, but tried convincing himself that it was a meaningless candy. But the craving never ceased.

"Hard to stop loving them, right?" the sixteen year old interrupted his thoughts.

Pitch sighed and lifted his head towards the sky, as if he was being showered with those candies. "It tasted so good…but it's over now. The Boogeyman can't enjoy things like he used to."

"Why not? I don't see any reason not to enjoy a little happiness once in a while."

"It doesn't matter. There's no reason to debate on this." Pitch said curtly, walking away once again.

_He's closing up on me._ Lanie felt something throb in her heart when he pulled away from her like that. But her thoughts were averted from him when her stomach made a huge growl, probably the loudest one a girl could make. She clamped her hands against her stomach as if it had a mouth to shut up. Pitch jerked his head back to look at her with confusion. Why did she just make that odd noise?

"Are you alright, Nalanie?" Pitch had no idea she was hungry. The thought of nutrition didn't cross his mind. He hasn't felt hunger in ages, but eating was something he could still do. He forgot she was still mortal and needed food to live.

"Uh…yeah! I'm just, um, a little queasy. I should probably go back and lie down." Lanie felt her stomach lurch again in protest, literally screaming to her, _Excuse me!? Can you not hear my plea for frikkin' food?! I'M STARVING!_

Pitch sighed dramatically then strolled back over to her. With one swift move, she was in his arms, starting to be carried up the stairs.

"Do you know how long you've been sleeping?" He asked, feeling her questionable eyes on him.

"Yes, about a night." Before she could ask why-

"Wrong. You've been sleeping for a month. You missed all of June entirely. Know why?"

"N-no?"

Pitch was quiet. When she looked up to him, his lips were pursed together in a thin line.

"Because you lacked enough sleep. That shows how much interested I was with you." He growled.

"I…but…" Lanie didn't know what to say to that remark. She slept for an entire month? She missed all of June, so it was July now. If she hadn't been abducted, she would be on summer vacation, probably at her beach house soaking up rays with her family. She'd be roasting marshmallows out on the fire at night, and stay up until midnight watching the stars. She'd sleep in when she could, eat junk food while watching her brother's favorite cartoons, and go out biking down the sidewalks guarded by palm trees. She would've stopped by the local drugstore and buy the latest magazine with her favorite selection of chips as a mid-afternoon snack. She would've hit the beach with her family wearing her favorite yellow summer dress and splash in the waves, picking up tiny shells in hope of decorating her room. She'd coax the dolphins to swim closer before getting whistled at dangerously by the life guard, and then move on to chasing sea gulls. She'd take her large amount of chalk and doodle all over the drive way, hoping her parents didn't have to leave with their cars, ruining the images she made. She'd tell jokes during dinner, making her brothers spew water out of their noses. She'd take Laurel for walks and then give her a good brushing once they returned home…she can't do any of that anymore. She was property now. She was the property of Pitch.

Pitch settled her down on her bed, but she didn't lie down. She just sat there, dazed and confused. Why couldn't she do anything she liked anymore? She wanted to go back out into the sunlight, feel the sweltering heat, smile in the cool breeze, and run through the woods. Why can't she? Something deep inside her was telling her to stay, it was the best choice. Why stay? If she went into the world, would she die? Would she crumble in dust like a vampire? Did Pitch do enough damage to her to make her seem like a ghost?

"Boogeyman?" Lanie finally asked, looking up from her lap. He was staring at the wall as if there was a window presenting a beautiful scenery with full blown sunshine.

"Pitch. Pitch Black." He muttered.

"What?" she raised an eyebrow, questioning the sudden color he described.

"That's my name. Call me Pitch, and only that. Boogeyman is just…a pseudonym. I want you to call me Pitch…understood?" he looked at her, imposing.

"O-okay. Um…may I ask a question, Pitch?" she felt weird saying his real name. It definitely suited him more than Boogeyman, and that alias was a bit of a mouthful. Was that really his given name? When he was born, did his mother say, "Hello, my little Pitch"? When he got in trouble, did his father yell, "Pitch Black! You get back here and fix what you did!"

"Always, my dear." He turned to face her, showing no emotion that she would notice.

"Why can't I go home? Besides the fact you don't want me to?" _And you're too controlling._ Lanie added in her head.

He was quiet for a while. She didn't like that. She was about to get up and stand in front of him, hoping that would get an answer from his mind. But he quickly addressed to her question.

" I wasn't being smart when I brought you down here. I should've remembered you are human, not a spirit. If a human travels into a spirit's dwelling, they lose their ability of being mortal. They are neither mortal nor immortal, if I could put that vaguely. You're human while with me, but no one will see you in the real world. If someone did, it's because they don't know you at all. That's why you can't see your family or your companions again. They won't see you, but they won't forget you. Misery will follow them if you're near, so it's best to stay here in the lair." He looked so odd while rubbing his arm as a distraction to avoid Lanie's looks.

"I see…then I guess it's best if I stay put." she lowered her eyes.

"It's best if you do," Pitch became bothered by this realization, "If you were to return to your home, they wouldn't see you. You'd be a ghost to them. The worst part is that if you're near them, they'd be ridden with grief, because they could feel your presence. You're no longer human, but you're not a Spirit like me. You still bleed, you still need certain necessities to live…and you need care. I wasn't thinking on keeping you forever. I…I'm sorry I didn't think this through for you. "

Pitch watched her ponder. He knew she was thinking deeply on what he said, and part of him was regretting it already. He knew she wanted to leave, but he didn't want his precious girl leaving. He hated losing things he secretly admired, especially when they were taken away by force and he would never see them again. He lost one important girl in his life, his only daughter, and he certainly didn't want to lose another girl that meant more than just a family love. He had no recollection of his past entirely, but there would be flashbacks of being in the Golden Age, his family, his new future as the Nightmare King. He told no soul, not even willing his own fearlings to whisper a word of his past. What was the point in bringing her down to his lair if she was going to be taken away? He certainly wasn't having any of that. He ended up confirming to himself to be greedy, not letting Lanie get anywhere close to someone who could take her away. He also told himself there was no way possible the Guardians, or even the Man in the Moon, will steal his darling Nalanie from him, too. She's all his, and he could do anything with or to her. He was her master, no one else. He knew Nalanie thought she was not worth anything to anyone. He'd hear her whisper to herself as she cried, saying how much she hated being her, how much she wished she could be somewhere else, in another body. He kept on wanting to jump out of the darkness and just hold her, but also scold her for saying such harmful verses to herself. He knew she thought she wasn't something worth to look at, but he knew that she was wrong. He wished he could whisper how much he loved dedicating his free time to see her, how much pain and struggle it took him to turn away and continue his job spreading fear. He'd tell her how many times he found himself literally floating on air when she would brush her hair in front of her mirror or simply read a book. And when he would hear her sing…those special, rare moments when she would sing with her guitar or just to herself. Oh, how they almost made the blackness from his heart melt into a pulsing red, wanting to be right there. He hated being hidden from her. He fully wanted her to himself. But he didn't realize the damage it would do to his valuable rose, his easily breakable crystal treasure.

Pitch kneeled down in front of her, staring up into her emerald green eyes. She looked slightly surprised seeing him on his knees in front of her, but didn't bother question why. Something in Lanie told her not to wonder why. Some things are just meant to be left unanswered. She stared back into those gold eyes that somehow made her breath catch in her throat.

"It's so strange…" Pitch murmured, not tearing his eyes away from her. She kept quiet, wanting to hear him talk. "No other person could do this to me. Not in ages. What made you the one?" Lanie felt her heart hammer against her chest as his hand slowly reached for her hand, as if he was unsure she would resist.

This time…she didn't move.

Pitch held her hand in his larger one, the two colors distinct completely. Hers was a pale fawn color, used to the sun bright beaches and long runs in the park. His was of an unnatural grey, something no other human could have except doused with paint. Her hand in his was so soft, he was afraid her hand may break. The way he held it so tenderly made her heart scream out, _GOD! Why did you treat this man so meanly, you bitch!?_ She prayed her hand wasn't clammy like usual. While she appeared calm and collected, Pitch knew she was internally freaking out. He could almost sense if she was doing something wrong or if she was holding his hand right. He could hear her heartbeat. It was so loud, but it was appealing to listen to. Could it be his heart making that noise? He never once knew his heart could do that, let alone any other man's. Feeling her skin on his, he could almost feel himself become alive. Not that he wasn't alive, but he was gaining back the feeling he felt as a human. They were both wrong. Both their hearts were beating that loud, in sync.

They didn't know they were being watched by the Man in the Moon. Even if they were supposedly under the Earth's surface, that didn't stop MiM's way of seeing everything in the world. He knew of Lanie's presence with Pitch. He knew the Nightmare King snatched her right from her home, bringing her to his darkness, like the old myth of Hades and Persephone. Spirits may think that MiM would object this action, but he had a different plan for the Boogeyman and the simple human girl. He knew what would unwind from this, being both a legend and a lesson. It would create balance for both the human kind and the Spirits both. The Man in the Moon always has a plan for everyone, but he wasn't going to tell Pitch himself. No, the man would have to figure it himself. He would have to inform the Guardians that they had no advantage to giving Lanie freedom from his clutches. Such rescuing actions would prove to be a waste of time, but it won't stop them from trying.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry if the chapters don't come as fast now. . Testing is coming up and its driving me nuts. But here's your awaited Chapter 5!**

Back in the lair, Lanie and Pitch were just watching their hands on top of each other. It wasn't a finger-lacing act, but a simple hand over hand. Hers was delicately placed on top, her finger tips feeling his smooth wrist. His hand was happy enough to stay under hers like that, but he couldn't control himself. His fingers stroked her hand, following her veins and creases of her palm. It slightly tickled her, making her heart and stomach jump. He finally held her hand, not wanting to see it disappear.

"I must ask you a question now, my dear." Pitch looked up at her, she meeting his gaze as if they finished as friendly conversation.

"Anything, Pitch."

"You call me Pitch now. Clearly you have a nickname that you like hearing, rather than your given name?" Pitch smiled.

_I think I'm starting to get used to 'my dear'. _Lanie smiled brightly, glad he finally asked. _I'm tired of hearing full on Nalanie._

"It's just Lanie." She shyly looked away, as if they just met.

"Lanie…Why not just Nalanie? It's beautiful itself."

"Ha-ha, very funny. My mom named me that because it means Heavens. She says that I looked like a baby dropped from Heaven, because I was completely perfect. It still doesn't make any sense, but…I still prefer Lanie." The sixteen year old somehow managed an escape route from a blush.

Pitch watched her intently. When she would think of the good times, she seemed to radiate both a positive and negative energy. She looked like she knew what all her past meant to her, even if there were major bumps in the road.

"Lanie…" he found himself whispering. Suddenly, an idea burst into his mind. It came so suddenly, he sprung up from the ground as he thought this through again in his head.

"Is something wrong?" Lanie exclaimed, shaken from his sudden movement.

"No…You mentioned something about your favorite things in life earlier. Do you still love those things?" Pitch looked back at her for approval.

"Yeah, of course. Why?"

Pitch put on a poker face, staring back at her. She looked worried, as if he was going to do something dangerous.

"Goodness, Lanie. Would you relax? I'm not killing anyone right now." He scolded her, and he quickly strode out of her room, "Don't interrupt me for a week. I'll be busy."

With that, the doors were shut before she would choke out an 'okay.' Why did he leave so suddenly? It's not as if he had any other important things to do…well…besides giving nightmares to children. It still bugged her that he would do such frightening things to kids who only wanted good dreams. It never made much sense why nightmares had to come. But it was part of his job, right? Maybe there's a lesson behind his fear spreading profession. Just like how the Easter Bunny spreads new life and hope on Easter, or how Santa spreads joy and wonder on Christmas. Lanie knew he had a sensitive side. She saw it just a few minutes ago. Why can't she see that side in him with his duty?

Meanwhile, when Lanie was preoccupied in her room and Pitch was off spreading nightmares, a little dash of green flew into the large, main room from a split in the lair, spilling light into the lair in certain parts. The green dashed to and fro, scanning the lair, then careened back up to the surface, questioning another presence. This was the little fairy, Baby Tooth, who helped out the Tooth Fairy collect teeth and leave gifts for the children of the world.

Baby Tooth was neatly and secretly hidden from view as Pitch entered his home with the unconscious Lanie last month. She witnessed that entire previous encounter, and once the human girl and Pitch disappeared from sight, Baby Tooth flew as fast as her wings could carry her to the Guardians.

During that month that Lanie slept through, Baby Tooth arrived to the North Pole where the Guardians were at the moment. She came careening in, hyped up on what she saw.

"Look, Easter may be done, but I still have millions of eggs to make for next year." Bunnymund frowned.

"It's the same thing with me. Christmas comes but once a year, but there's a lot of preparation involved." North wagged his finger.

Jack Frost rolled his eyes at this statement, then glanced up at Toothiana. She was flittering about, trying to both listen to the conversation and also deal with her little fairies. Suddenly, a high pitched squeal was heard all over the North Pole, getting louder and louder as it drew closer.

"What's that noise?" Jack asked, gripping his staff.

"I think it's Baby Tooth!" Tooth just turned around when the little hummingbird fairy collided right into her, sending her flying back a few feet. Baby Tooth didn't even apologize for Tooth's loss of breath.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Tooth chirped, trying to calm down the riled up creature. The Guardians just stared at them, not knowing what Baby Tooth was saying. "Hon, I can't understand you when you talk that fast! Who has who in where?"

Just that small question sent everyone into silent mode. If a person was to just hear 'who has who in where', they know something's wrong. And only one guy they know would do terrible crimes.

"Oh, my! That's awful!" shrieked Tooth, "Guys! Did you hear!?"

"Uh, no hablo hummingbird, but go on." Jack said.

"Pitch kidnapped this girl named Nalanie Sheridan and is planning on keeping her! And you know what's worse? She had the best brushed baby teeth I've seen, and she's being taken away from dental hygiene!" Toothiana's feathers fluffed in horror.

The Guardians rushed into outbursts. What gave Pitch the right to do that?! Let alone take a human by force and hide her from the rest of the world. As if the Guardians wouldn't figure it out! So this is what he does for the past three years. While regaining his strength after they defeated him, he kidnaps a girl. They know the reason behind it, and it is clear as daylight! He's using her to gain power. By feeding off of her fears, he'll become strong enough to retaliate like before.

"We have to go save her!" Tooth exclaimed, making a dash towards the nearest open window, Baby Tooth following close behind.

"Um, hold on a moment, Tooth." North paused.

Tooth stared back at her comrades. Why weren't they engaged in this as she was? Don't they care about the safety of a human in the clutches of their worst enemy? Pitch could do horrible things to her! If they didn't save her now, who knows what could happen. They certainly don't want him rising to power again, they made that pretty clear.

"I remember Nalanie Sheridan. I believe she's a teenager now." North continued.

"So? She needs help!"

"Tooth, remember our number one rule." Bunnymund stated.

"It's our job to protect the _children_ of the world." Jack recited, acting as if it was a normal thing to say every day.

"Nalanie is no longer a child. We can't protect her anymore." North sadly shook his head.

"But! But!...But what if-!" Tooth couldn't find a reason to disobey the rule. She cared for everyone, child or adult. If she remembers their teeth, she cares about the ones behind it. She can't just leave Lanie in the dust, not after those perfect baby choppers she lost. Not only that, but Pitch kidnapped someone. That alone is horrible, but Pitch? What does he need with a human? A human has no importance besides belief. Tooth would've expected a child in his clutches, but a teenager? That doesn't make any sense. She still wanted to save the poor girl.

But finally, Tooth had enough courage and smarts to both enter the lair and convince the Guardians to help her. She followed Baby Tooth into the shadows of Pitch's dwelling, her eyes flitting to every corner of the large entrance. She remembered clearly that the Man in the Moon told them that there was no point in saving Nalanie, for she was a future symbol that Pitch needed in order to create balance between Spirits and humans. She didn't quite understand him, but was on the same side with Bunnymund: "Well, it's worth one try." And they left Toothiana to bring her out of Pitch's captivity and back home.

Baby Tooth flew back up to Tooth, twittering with confusion.

"So you saw Nalanie right there? Did you see where Pitch took her?" Tooth zigzagged from each cage, hoping the young girl wasn't in there. Baby Tooth touched Tooth's shoulder, pointing her long nose towards the dark hallway.

"Down there?" Tooth was unsure, "Gee…I don't know, Baby Tooth. It looks kind of…spooky."

Baby Tooth let out a loud chirp, but the larger fairy shushed her. "Shh! We don't know if Pitch is here or not. Let's try going into that hallway and see if she's in any of those rooms."

They flew down the hallway, stopping to peep through the first room. Nope. No one was in there. It was complete blackness. Tooth followed Baby Tooth to the next room. Sure enough, once they opened the tall, ebony door, there was Nalanie, patiently sitting on her bed, Indian style. She looked up at the sound of the door, and her green eyes widened. Who the heck is this person?! And that cute little fairy beside her as well? Only one name rung in her mind once Lanie saw the gossamer wings. She smiled brightly and jumped off the bed.

"You must be Tooth Fairy!" Lanie exclaimed, completely star struck that she actually existed.

Tooth caught her excitement, and beamed back. "Hello, Nalanie! It's been so long since I saw your teeth! Goodness," Tooth drew closer to Lanie's mouth, and she didn't mind. _She's like a dentist! It's strange how collecting teeth is her favorite hobby._ "My! My! My! You've really whitened your teeth once your braces came off! Those good ol' things really did the trick." Tooth patted Lanie's head.

"You won't believe how glad I was to get those things off. They hurt a lot." Lanie sighed, relieved that braces were permanently out of the picture.

"Well! Either that or have teeth like an old lady! I must say, I just visited your brother Charlie. He lost one of his canines. The memory that little cutie holds was so heartbreaking." Tooth rested her hand against her chest.

"Charlie?"

"No. His tooth. Did you know that your baby teeth hold special memories? That is why we collect them." Tooth looked around her room, distractedly.

"Really? That's interesting. I always thought those memories were in your mind." Lanie grinned at the friendly fairy.

Suddenly, Baby Tooth jolted in front of Lanie's vision, making her jump. The mini version of Toothiana smiled and tittered happily. Lanie smiled back and stroked her pinkie on Baby Tooth's head.

"You won't believe how worried she was for you. She saw you and Pitch a month ago, when you just came." Tooth said softly, perching on the mahogany bedpost.

"R-really? Wait, she witnessed that?" Lanie felt her eyes widen at the thought of this adorable thing spying on her.

"Yes. I don't know why she was down here, but she came back all shook up that you were kidnapped by Pitch. Ugh…the brute." Tooth snarled at the memory of him stealing the children's teeth.

"I know he did terrible things. It gets me upset, too…I must ask you a question, um…" Lanie didn't know if she should call her Tooth Fairy or something else.

"Just Tooth is fine."

"Okay. Well, I heard that the Guardians help out the children of the world. Basically, you aren't going to help me, are you?" Lanie suddenly felt embarrassed when she finished her question. Tooth looked rather sad at the thought.

"We can't. Well, we protect anyone who believes in us, and that mostly is children. The Man in the Moon told us there's no point in trying to save you. You're meant to stay down here…but I really want you to be safe! I want you to be home with your family!" Tooth frowned.

"Thank you for your concern, but Pitch made it pretty clear there's no possible way to go home." Lanie looked at the floor.

"Yes…you're invisible from everyone…" Tooth then looked up, "On a softer note! You know how teeth hold the most precious memories a child possesses?"

Lanie smiled and nodded, trying to push away the heartbreaking thought that she's gone from her loved ones.

"Well! I have to say, that my very favorite memory of yours was when you lost your front upper tooth. It contained the memory when you first picked up the guitar, and you were so thrilled, you shouted out that you wanted to be the next country singer and dance with the fairies in the forest." Tooth giggled at the last part.

"I remember that!" Lanie's face brightened at the memory, "That guitar was for my sixth birthday! It was so hard playing on an adult guitar with tiny hands." Tooth laughed along with Lanie.

Unexpectedly, Pitch came back. They didn't know he entered the lair until the girls heard his wild nightmares whinnying in the main room. They froze in their spot, listening for more. There was a lot of commotion down there, and they could hear Pitch talking to his fearlings.

"Stupid children, always believing in their parents that I don't exist. I got the good of them, didn't I?" Pitch chuckled.

He was carrying a large, black bag with the help of his nightmare stallions. Inside it was something he knew would improve the lair for not only him but for Lanie herself. Luckily, he was getting the easy work out of the way before the hard work began. He tied black rope to the bag and made his steeds carry it into the neighboring room, just a few ways away from Lanie's room. He stared in that direction for a while, wishing he could go in there. He knew she was having difficulty suppressing the thought that she no longer had a home, and it pained him that she hid her sadness from him. But he knew what had to be done at the moment. He can't waste his time with her now. Once his dirty work is done, he then can enjoy riling Lanie up and spooking her like he used to.

"Oh no! What do I do!? If he finds me here, he'll pluck my feathers for sure!" Tooth squealed, scared at the thought of both her and Baby Tooth would be found. Her little fairy friend whimpered and hid inside Lanie's uncombed, brown hair. It made a nice hiding place, but Lanie gently pulled Baby Tooth out before she could get tangled up.

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Lanie calmed down her new friends.

**Sorry if this seemed short, but I'm pretty sure Chapter 6 will be uploaded either tonight or tomorrow...Imma play Twister again. ;)**

**Have a great day!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright, you guys may be a little pissed once I say this. I'm reaching the point where I will post less than what I do now. I copy and paste the chapters from my word document to this awesome website, and I'm getting closer to the spot where I left off. If you see no progress within a few days, that means I'm writing to fulfill your need for a new chapter. On a lighter note, I now figured out how I want this story to end, so I'm a happy little girl now. :)**

Pitch finished placing things around the darkened room, then glanced back at his loyal nightmares. They smelled something. Something wasn't right for them, and it completely had their attention. That only meant one thing: Lanie was up to something.

"Might as well go see the girl, anyways. I'm so tired of this…" grumbled Pitch. He dodged into one of the shadows and reappeared in front of Lanie's door. Before he could react, he pounded on the door. He still followed politeness, but was so impatient, he let himself in anyway. He witnessed Lanie jump at his entrance and stand at attention at the foot of her bed.

"I didn't say you could come in, Pitch." Lanie furrowed her brows.

"My place, my rules. I believe your parents used that same motto. Now, what are you doing?" Pitch peered around the room, knowing something is definitely out of place.

"Um…I'm just, uh, thinking? And uh-" Lanie blushed while she stuttered.

Pitch couldn't help but chuckle at her lame excuses. Though it was rude to lie, she looked incredibly cute while she did, all blushes and tumbling lips. He leaned against the door and watched her.

"Oh! I um, was just about to go find a bathroom. You know, to clean up in. And uh, I didn't find one in here. That's it!" Lanie pulled a fake smile, smoothing her skirt. She kind of liked the feeling of its tulle against her palms.

"I didn't tell you of the bathroom right across the hall?" Pitch frowned disapprovingly.

"Must've skipped your mind!" Lanie shrugged positively. She walked over to him and started to push him out. "So! Thank you for visiting, I'll be here for eternity. Go ahead and do your dark and evil work, and get back to me when you've finished that really smart-"

Pitch turned around and grabbed her arms before she could shove him out of her room. She let out a small gasp at the sudden strength on her arms. "…job." She finished, getting lost in his gold eyes again.

"Stop lying to me, Lanie. What's wrong? Is someone in here?" Pitch asked her seriously, and he witnessed her blush again, "…So…someone is in here, my dear?" he felt his jaw tense up.

"No! No one is! It's just me!" Pitch pushed her out of the way and started to survey every part of her room. From under her bed, in corners of the room, under rugs, and in the spaces of the ceiling. He strolled to her wardrobe in a storm, and whipped open the doors. He was met with lines of her clothes, nothing else. Not one single thing moved in the dark, and even his sharp eyes that were used to the dark didn't catch anything peculiar.

He didn't notice that Baby Tooth was flawlessly hidden inside Lanie's purple summer dress pocket. She quite liked it in there, having it so warm and close. It was easy for the little thing to fall asleep in its softness. Tooth was in a safe place too, but had to be very still, which was hard for a girl like her. She hung by the neckline of another nightmare dress, perching her feet against the hook, making her tuck into the fetal position. Her wings didn't budge once, but she was aching to move them again. Being still for this long wasn't on her to do list.

Pitch closed the door and stared back at Lanie. She looked hurt, due to the fact he doesn't trust her. It wasn't only that, but she felt somewhat bad that she lied to him. Not as if lying to an evil man could be considered bad, but…it hurt her inside. Lanie's biggest goal was to be on his good side, and she couldn't really find a way how to without messing something up. Pitch walked up to her, his face like stone, expressionless.

"My apologies, Lanie. Do you need to relieve yourself?" he backed away a tiny bit at that last thought.

"…No. I'm fine." Lanie looked away, her heart feeling heavy.

Tooth just peeked out from behind the door soundlessly, and was startled at what she saw. Why was Pitch acting so…pleasant? It didn't give her a good feeling. When Pitch reached out to touch her shoulder, she had to slam her hand over her mouth and fly backwards before she could gasp. He's also forward with the poor girl!

"If you need to bathe, go ahead. I promise nothing will bother you while you do. I'm not forcing you to stay in your room." Pitch's voice almost softened.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for lying." Lanie bowed her head ashamedly.

Pitch wanted to say something, but quickly shut his mouth. He removed his hand from her warm shoulder, ashamed he touched her bare skin. He should've made the sleeves cover her shoulders. If he did, he wouldn't have felt so weak in the knees just by that one touch. Ugh, sometimes he even disgusted himself.

"Remember what I said previously?" Pitch regained his arrogant self.

"Don't bother you for a week." Lanie muttered, feeling like a meek child.

"Correct. Once that week is over, I promise we'll have some entertainment." He sneered as her expression turned startled, then relaxed. She knew he was kidding. But his teasing still got the fright out of her, "Help yourself to the baths if necessary. Everything is at your request." He swiftly turned around and left her room, his aroma of cedar forests mixing in the air.

Lanie peeked out the hallway to see him travel back down the staircase and into a room she never knew was there. _Must be where he watches the kids of the world…or maybe his throne room._ She rushed towards the closet and thrust open the doors. Tooth was hovering there with a shocked and worried face. She acted like she didn't know that sweet little girl that took good care of her teeth. It's as if that girl her baby fairies visited never brushed her fallen teeth before placing it in a small box under her pillow. Lanie cringed, knowing that Tooth really disliked the idea of Pitch acting like that towards her. Lanie knew he was sensitive towards her, but she had no idea he loved her like he did. The mere thought seemed impossible to her, even to Toothiana. If an idea like that were to cross the teenager's mind, it would be thrown back as an absurd ADHD thought.

"He…you let him touch you like that?" Tooth bit her finger in worry.

"It's no big deal," Lanie looked at her like it was crazy, "he does that to freak me out!"

"But…did you see his face? How he looked at you?" Tooth stared into the girl's eyes seriously.

Lanie shook her head slowly, not understanding why Tooth was the one so worked up. Baby Tooth finally joined the girl's group, yawning from the quick nap she had in the small dress pocket. The little cutie was fully revitalized by that small three minute nap, but noticed the tense air around the two people.

"He looked at you with affection." Tooth knew that sounded impossible, but it did happen. She witnessed his softening eyes, how they turned from a sharp to a gentle gold. She noticed how his shoulders didn't seem so tense as before, and how he gently touched her shoulder. He didn't look rough and cruel like she always saw him. Yes, he still looked superior, he always did. But he appeared to be mature and lenient, something Tooth didn't know existed in his soul.

"That's silly. To think the Boogeyman would EVER look at someone like that." Lanie thought Tooth was pulling her leg. She's been in the lair for a month with the man, and she's been teased and tormented with his scares and quick statements.

"I know, but…well, you could be right." Tooth bit her finger again. She regained her bubbly self and smiled brightly, "I have to go, hon, the Guardians are probably wondering what's taking me so long. Hopefully nothing goes wrong." Tooth happily gives Lanie a hug, who was more than willing to give it back.

"Thanks for being here, Tooth. It was getting pretty lonely." Lanie smiled as Tooth flew alongside her to the door. Lanie peeped from behind the door again to see if Pitch was there, but the coast was clear. She nodded towards the two fairies, who excitedly darted out the doorway. Tooth turned towards her with a happy air.

"Keep up the good work on the teeth, Nalanie! Friends?" Tooth held out her hand.

"Friends." Lanie could feel a true smile tug at her mouth as she and Tooth shook hands.

By the third day of Tooth's departure, Lanie finally snapped. She couldn't stand being somewhat grimy and with messy hair, with no brush in sight. Pitch was somewhere in the lair that day, but she knew he was in that dark room again. She found her favorite beach towel in her closet and scurried across the hallway in her bare feet. Pitch told her the bathroom was just across from her, and Lanie couldn't wait to dunk her head in warm water. The thought of a shower filled her veins with excitement. She twisted the knob of the door open and rushed in before Pitch could see her in her sleep wear. Once her eyes rested on the new room she was in, she lost her breath in shock. _ This is not a bathroom…this is a spa._ The flooring was of dark marble stone paths leading to certain spots in the huge room. Think of it like a Roman bathing room…sounds familiar? Lanie knew it did, but it didn't quite hit her yet. The black pillars with see through linen held up the ceiling, and the bath itself was almost like a swimming pool. In the corner was a fountain used to pour water on soapy hair, something forest fairies probably used. Even though the place was the custom darkness Pitch was used to, the plants inside gave it light and life. It was hard for Lanie to tear her eyes away from the beautiful ballerina roses, angel's trumpet and heliotrope towards the bath again. _My gosh…It's just like in my dream._ The realization made her heart soar in glee. Though the color in her dream was more inviting and friendly, she immediately trusted this room. The water inside the giant pool was aqua colored like the Caribbean ocean, and the mosaics on the floor of the pool were not gold and emerald, but rather amethyst and lapis lazuli. Basically, the entire bathroom was a dark variety of her dream one.

Lanie quickly tore off her tank top and sweatpants, followed by her cotton undies. She felt exposed, but quickly jumped into the water, not bothering to test it for its temperature. It was perfect. It was neither cold nor too hot. It felt cool against her skin, but she warmed up to it quickly. She rose up from the water with a happy sigh, her muscles relaxing from all the stress she carried for a month and three days. The water was so clear, she could keep her eyes open as she swam underwater, watching her hair float around her. Lanie did a lazy backstroke, then swam up to the edge of the pool where the soaps and shampoos were. She scrubbed her hair and washed it until it squeaked, and cleansed her skin with soap until it was soft as a baby's. Even when the dreamer was done, she still stayed in the water, enjoying being surrounded by H2O. Her hair floated like a halo as she drifted slowly, letting her body sink when she got cold from the air. She dolphin kicked towards the end of the bath, betting herself to see how fast she can swim.

_And here comes Nalanie Sheridan! The world's fastest swimmer since the dawn of time, and is ready to beat the record again! _Her mind announced, making her laugh. She took a deep breath, ducked, and pushed against the wall with her feet, darting off like a bullet. She thought she could make it, as she kicked hard, using her arms to propel herself. _Look at that! The fantastic swimmer turned into a mermaid! And the crowd goes wild!_ She tried doing the butterfly, but it slowed her down. Her chest started to ache, and she went towards the surface, meeting the cool air against her cheeks. She moved her wet, brunette hair out of her eyes, and naturally looked up.

What a mistake.

**I know this is short, but I'm doing this on purpose. ;) Not to upset you, don't worry. This is mostly upsetting me because now I have to wait until tomorrow to update the next chapter. EAGERLY LOVING THIS STORY AS MUCH AS YOU ARE! So I'm enjoying Februrary vacation as well listening to Phil Collins from Brother Bear. Who else thinks Keenai as a human is totally cute?! :D Ok. Anyway, have a great day/night. BE NICE TO ONE ANOTHER.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Just perfect. I'm feeling sick on my vacation. I need a vacation after this vacation. Here's a question for you readers: Do you know when Rise of the Guardians is coming out on DVD? because I am darn tired of waiting! . Kay, enjoy da chapta.**

He didn't mean to. It sincerely was an accident. It was an honest accident. He was so embarrassed; being stabbed by one of North's swords seemed like a better idea than witnessing this girl naked. When her emerald eyes met his, he felt petrified. He was frozen on the spot, not sure if he should move or not. She looked alarmed too as she just stood there gawking back at him. She couldn't clearly see his entire figure, thank god. Thank heavens he wasn't going to the bathroom. They didn't know what to say or do. The moment was frozen, as if time died. Lanie felt so lucky she was concealed from her collar bone down.

"Uh…" Lanie was the first one to make a noise.

"Shit." Pitch swiftly spun around and charged, hoping to run out of the room, but rammed against the door, making him fall onto his back. He groaned in pain as he held his face.

"Oh my God! Pitch, are you okay?" Lanie jumped out of the water, wrapped her towel around her and ran over to his body.

"Don't get any closer! You're undressed!" Pitch rolled onto his stomach, acting like a teenage boy. Lanie rolled her eyes. _As if I was going to jump you._

"Wait here for two seconds, then I'll help you." Lanie touched his arm, then sprinted to her pile of sleep wear. She fortunately had her purple summer dress with her, the one that Baby Tooth curled up in a few days ago. She tugged on her underwear and the dress, and then dashed back to Pitch, who returned on his back, still clutching his forehead. She made him lean against the wall, even with him struggling against her. He couldn't bear for this girl he beheld nude to help him. He deserved this pain. He kept his eyes closed as she moved his hand away from his head.

Lanie did her best not to start laughing. If such a thing were to occur, she would've thought she'd be the one in trouble. She thought Pitch would've scared her or done something shameful to her, but no. He acted scared seeing her like that. _Ironic. He's the King of Nightmares and he was afraid of me being naked._ Pitch still wouldn't look at her, even when she was clothed. That wasn't any problem for her, but his forehead definitely took a beating. The carvings on the door were literally imprinted on his forehead, and a bruise was forming there also. There was something else occurring to his face. Both his cheeks were somewhat pink. _That's a weird bruise…I've never seen pink-wait…_Lanie felt her face fall as the insight hit her. He was embarrassed, she knew that. But she didn't know it was possible for him to blush like that. The tone of the pink on his face looked so strange against his skin color, but to an odd perspective, it was also kind of…cute.

"Pitch…it's okay. I'm not mad." Lanie's soft voice made his eyes open, finally. He stared at her like she was nuts.

"But you were-!"

"I know. It's partially my fault. I should've told you I was in here." Lanie touched his forehead to see if it was as bad as it looked. Pitch grunted and quickly stood up, not liking the warm feeling he was sensing in his body when she touched him.

"You should've, then it wouldn't have happened. Don't make such an error again…" he trailed off as he whisked the doors open again, but he didn't move.

"Pitch?"

"…I really am sorry. It was dreadful that I didn't knock…I can be so wretched at times." He wasn't looking at her.

"I really hate it when you say that about yourself." Lanie said strongly, rather bothered.

She went up to Pitch and forcibly turned him around. Pitch felt himself tense up when she hugged him. He had no idea what she was doing, and kept his hands hovering in the air, afraid to touch her.

"What're you doing?" he asked.

"I'm giving you a hug. It's supposed to make you feel better and know that I'm not mad at you. And…I forgive you." Lanie looked up at him with honest eyes. _Boy, he really is tall._

"Oh…um…thank you." Pitch watched her rest her head on his chest, still determined to hug him until he's in a better mood.

Something in him relaxed. His heart he forgot was there started beating really hard against his chest. Lanie was right. The hug was starting to make him feel better, more content in not himself, but Lanie too. The feeling of her body against his, the fresh smell of her hair and the softness of her skin…it did something to him. He wrapped his arms around her, unsure the way a hug works. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth when Lanie looked up at him with a grin.

The moment was spoiled when her stomach rumbled again, but lasted longer and started to hurt. Pitch dodged her when she made that noise, slightly freaked out. Lanie bit her lip as she held her aching stomach, watching Pitch's odd behavior.

"Is there something living in there?! What's making that noise?" Pitch watched her stomach, waiting for some kind of monster to poke out of there.

"…You told me not to lie. I'm hungry. I've been hungry for the past couple of days." Lanie felt ashamed as his eyes hardened with anger.

"Why didn't you tell me honestly?" he boomed, "It's not that hard getting you food, you know! You should've told me you were hungry." He looked away, rather pissed off. Her silence was a bit unsettling, and he glanced back.

_Is…is she crying?_ Pitch's eyes widened. Lanie wasn't looking at him; everywhere but him. Tears were welling up in her eyes, and a big fat tear fell down her cheek. When she cried, she struggled. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to look weak. _Don't cry, you idiot. He's not going to care. Stop Your Wallowing. _Lanie bit her lip when a small whimper came from her throat. _Damn you, Lanie. Damn you to Hell. _She felt like she betrayed him, feeling rejected. He told her not to lie, and she did anyways. Her mother always warned her it will get her in trouble, and sure enough, it did.

"Lanie…" she heard him whisper, and was tugged back into a hug, "I didn't mean to shout. I'm sorry." He held her head against his shoulder as she cried, whimpering against his black robe.

"Shh…you'll be all right. Just let it out…" Lanie was oddly comforted by his words. Any normal person who was abducted by such a man wouldn't let them be held like this or have their back stroked. For some reason, she felt calmer against him, feeling his skin and his clothes.

"I'm going to go get you something, understood? Just get back in bed and relax once I leave." Pitch reluctantly let her go, guiding her towards her room. He was really getting accustomed to hugging.

"I'm sorry-"

"Just don't say anything more." He watched her get back into bed. When her eyes met his, he chose that moment to give her a genuine smile, one that held all meaning behind it, no harm behind it.

Once he left into the shadows, Lanie felt her eyes start to droop shut. She pulled the velvet closer to her shoulders and snuggled into the thick pillows, already traveling into a new dream, not a nightmare as usual.

Suddenly, a knock was sounded at her door. She sat up, wide awake.

"Pitch?"

"May I come in?" he sounded mischievous.

"Yeah!" Lanie beamed, the thought of food making her stomach rumble more.

The Boogeyman walked in with a weird smile on his face, sitting himself close to her on the bed. He had something behind his back, so Lanie couldn't see.

"I didn't know what to get you, so I got you this." Pitch took out the Kit Kat behind his back, showing it to her.

"Thanks!" she admitted Kit Kats weren't on her top ten list of favorite candies, but it was better than nothing. The candy seemed to magically disappear, and yet she wasn't satisfied. When she looked up to see if he had more, he was looking directly at her lips, somewhat closer to her face.

"Silly Lanie has chocolate on her cheek." He murmured, getting closer and closer. Lanie's breath caught in her throat when she felt his lips glide on the corner of her mouth, where the chocolate was. His tongue gently stroked the chocolate away, watching her seductively with his fiery gold eyes. Lanie's heart beat wilder, wanting him badly.

"Pitch…" she found herself breathless as she pulled him against her, letting his lips assault her mouth. His hand grabbed her waist, pulling him closer to him.

A knock sounded from the door, jolting Lanie from her sleep. She glanced around the room. Pitch wasn't anywhere. She felt her lips. Nope, nothing. _What the hell?! What kind of twisted dream was that?!_ One side of her mind screamed. But the other part freaked her out, _Damn, I wish that continued. It was starting to get hot._

The doors whisked open and Pitch carried a large sack in his arms. He went to the town's grocery store and cut all the power. While his nightmares kept the customers and employees busy, he took anything he saw Lanie eat in the past. Hopefully, she will like what he brought her. She better not ask questions.

"You didn't answer. " he simply stated when he dumped the contents on the bed.

"I was sleeping- holy moly! This is awesome!" Lanie completely lost her thought as her eyes drunk in the sight of food.

Pastries still warm from the oven had icing scribbled on the top, and sandwiches of peanut butter and banana were the size of her hand. A green apple shone in the light, along with a box of blueberries and a cluster of cherries. The last thing that fell from the bag was a bottle of water and a small bag of Fritos chips.

Pitch smirked at his success as she started gorging on the blueberries, putting at least fifteen of those tiny fruits in her mouth at a time. _Wow. She's really hungry. Do all humans eat like animals?_ Pitch had to control himself from laughing when Lanie's eyes grew big with happiness once she discovered the pastries were bloated with strawberry jam. Lanie swallowed her last mouthful and looked up at Pitch appreciatively.

"Thanks, Pitch. How did you know these were my favorite foods?" Lanie stared at the beautiful, ripe apple in her palm.

He mockingly raised an eyebrow, "What do you think I've been doing for the past three years? Sleeping?"

Lanie playfully made a face at him, making him chuckle.

_Maybe things won't be so bad like I thought._ Both of them thought while smiling at each other.

During that time, things were still unbalanced for Lanie's family and friends. The Sheridan household was starting to get used to the fact she was gone, but the silence in the house bugged everyone. Her parents still mourned, as did her brothers, but her friends were a different matter. While the school acted as if she never existed, her friends had no hope left for finding their lost companion, all but one. Kimi, along with the others, were finally heading to college. The only different matter is that Kimi is hoping for an at home education, hoping to get a doctorate's in the medical field. She searched long and hard for an online course, hoping to stay home. She locked herself in ever since Lanie left, and Margaret, Jen, and Ninet all went off to different parts of the country, seeking jobs as future lawyers, traveling agents, and elementary teachers. Kimi was determined to find Lanie, no matter how hard it seemed or how many times people said there was no hope. Kimi knew she wasn't dead, nor did she want to think about it. But for now, she wanted to pay her respects. She brought over a casserole her family made for the Sheridans, which Mom accepted gratefully. She invited Kimi in for a coffee, glad someone dropped by for a visit.

"It's so hard without her here. Charlie hasn't been the same at all. He hasn't touched his drum set in a long time." Mom nervously bit her lip as she held her coffee cup.

"I completely understand his pain, along with yours. I must tell you, Mrs. Sheridan. I'm determined to find her, no matter what people say." Kimi kindly patted her hand.

"That's very kind of you, but what's the point? What proof are you going to get?" Mom sighed sadly.

"May I say, Mrs. Sheridan, that if I can't be a doctor, I'd love to be a detective. I'm great when it comes to clues, and I was the one who witnessed her abduction."

"But-"

"It doesn't matter if anyone believes me. I will find her, whether I die in the process or not." Kimi forced a smile, hoping to reassure her friend's mother.

"Thank you…Do you want to start your 'investigation?'" Mom stood up from the table, moving her hand towards the stairs.

"I'd love to. I'll start in Lanie's room." Kimi followed Mom, but continued up the stairs by herself.

She entered her friend's room, a sudden coldness riding up her back. It felt like wandering into a ghost's abode. _She is not dead. I know she's not._ Kimi slowly walked closer to the window, peering out of the sunny weather. She had a perfect view of the neighbor's garden, but the road must've been so noisy to her. Wherever she looked, something seemed askew. Usually, her guitar was placed right next to her desk, but it was gone. Her old radio was missing from her table, too, and so were some of her art supplies. Her bed blankets were tangled up as if she just got out of bed a few minutes ago, and some clothes littered the floor near her laundry basket. _Why are some things missing? She'd never bring her guitar out of her room unless she was moving it outside._

Something caught her eye. The sun was in the perfect spot in the sky, sending rays of light directly on the peculiar sand, making it shine in her eyes. Kimi turned towards the foot of her bed. Black, somewhat shining sand sat in a pile near her bed. She bent down to touch it, and a metaphorical hammer hit her right in her head, sending memories of those weird sand ropes that dragged Lanie out of the Bio class. It was that sand that sent the school into total darkness.

"His sand…" Kimi whispered.

She put some in her pocket and found a small trail of the sand leading to a darkened corner of Lanie's bedroom. It disappeared from there.

"So that's how he travels: by shadows." Kimi smirked. _This is all too easy. Next stop: the library._ Kiki strolled out of Lanie's room, now knowing where she was headed. She was headed in the direction of the darkest place on Earth, and she knew that was underground. _I'll find you, Lanie. You'll no longer be tormented by that Boogeyman. _


	8. Chapter 8

**After thinking of getting a short haircut-basically cropping my long hair into a pixie cut-maybe I should spike it backwards for good luck ;) Here's Chapter 8! Have a fabulous day!**

The three days turned to five, but to Lanie, it felt like years. Ever since Pitch got her food, she hasn't seen him at all. The only time she would even get a glimpse of the mysterious man was when he arrived into the lair with his nightmares by his side, then quickly returning to that peculiar dark room she didn't know about. He always arrived riding on one of those black stallions, almost like a Dark Prince. Like a Knight of Blackness. It somewhat entranced her when she watched him survey the lair with his glimmering gold eyes, pulling the reins of his horse. Of course, he no longer submitted to his wishes on visiting Lanie. That last time he wanted to see her got him in hot water, literally. He was lucky he ended up physically hurt by the door and not by her own hand. With his strength and determination, he fought off the urge to watch her sleep or even greet her when she woke up. He didn't have time to. Thank God he didn't have to travel the entire world to spread fear because of the time zones; his nightmares know the daily chore. He simply gets the pleasure of visiting children and adults themselves if he has the chance and if he can easily smell out their fright.

He dismounted from his ride and strode over to the dark room, easily opening the door a tiny bit to let just himself and a few of his nightmares in. If there was a chance Lanie was watching him-and she was at the moment-he certainly didn't want her finding out what was in there now. He promised a week, and he'll keep it a week. Besides, the work isn't even done yet. He hasn't done this type of job in forever. Remodeling is just isn't one of his things anymore. While he signaled his nightmares to go up into the towering darkness to continue working the places he can't reach, his last conversation with Lanie filled his mind. It was in her dream she had a few nights ago, and he was in the form of that lover she's always dreamed of yet again. Again, as in, he was that lover from the prior dream Lanie had. He was that man. It was ultimately him when he was in his human form. He felt like he owed Sandy a great deal for that one gateway, even after that uprising he started, but decided just to keep quiet.

_"Tell me, love, what you think of your new life. I'm honestly worried for you." He asked, watching her pick small daises and clovers from the silky grass._

_"I honestly don't know. It's very nice how you're staying with me, even though I'm no longer home." Lanie sounded sad._

She definitely looked different in her dreams. Dreams were dreams, so she could look any way she wanted to. But it still surprised Pitch, in a way. Her hair was a glossy, light brown as usual, but it was longer, fluttering behind her shoulders in the warm breeze. She wore a wispy summer dress that changed colors, from pink, to yellow, to blue, to green. Otherwise, she looked the same. She looked happier, with a lighter air around her than she did in real life. It made Pitch both pleased and sad.

_"Just because you left home, doesn't mean I leave you. I'll always be with you, even when you're not looking." He gently pulled her into his arms, caressing her arms as she cuddled up against him._

_"Thank you…" Lanie trailed off. She sat up, staring into his eyes._

Something told Pitch she was realizing it was a dream. That the man she was seeing wasn't real, but a comfort for her. That everything she was seeing was a world of her mind, and she didn't want to wake up. It pained her to. He witnessed tears again, but different than the ones he saw in reality.

_"I wish you were a real person. I wish I met you in real life, then I wouldn't wake up crying." She whispered. She bent down and kissed him softly on his cheek before cuddling up against him._

When Pitch released Lanie and himself from her dream, his face was burning. He had to look at himself in the bath pools to make sure he wasn't on fire. It wasn't every day he colored like that. He ached more of that from Lanie, and doing that back to her, too. He wanted so badly to hold her close in her bed, weaving their fingers like grey and tanned colored braids. The craving to see her trembling beneath him, feeling the heat radiating off both of them, drove him insane. He knew he shouldn't have these thoughts, as it was entirely against his views.

While Pitch was occupying himself, Lanie was trying to find other things that would keep her from the boredom that threatened her. She slept in, she took a stroll around her room and the lair itself, she ate, she played dress up. She couldn't see anything else to do besides locking herself in one of those cages and act like a two year old, shouting "LADEL LADEL LAY" you always hear bored toddlers scream to keep them occupied. She still was stable enough not to do it, but that option was close. Luckily, when she was out ambling around the lair, she found that the main room led down to another large chamber. It was a simple space, completed only with a few customary pillars and a bronze globe she's never seen before. Tiny little lights sparkled in certain places, indicating where there were believers of fear. _There certainly is quite a few .I feel like I just invaded someone's business. _Lanie shirked her eyes from the globe to look around the large area. It almost was big enough for a ballroom. She walked in circles, pretending she was watching other dancers dressed in noble clothes waltz around the room. She fabricated that an orchestra was playing a melodic song, something she used to play on her guitar back home. The fake music in her head seemed to come to life, bouncing off the walls. Dark figures representing the dancers swirled around her, making enough space for her to walk and hopefully dance herself.

_I recognize this song,_ Lanie smiled as her dress formed into a beautiful, sparkling midnight dress. Its halter top was ringed with tiger's eye, and it fitted her waist perfectly, ending in an A form at the smooth floor. _Far Away by Nickelback._

She started to sway to the music, letting her arms swing by her sides as she watched her dress flutter around her ankles. If only her hair was longer like it used to be, then she could feel lit brush her cheek as she spun in circles. Her eyes closed, enjoying her favorite love song. She didn't notice that her lips were open, and melodic lyrics tumbled out, making the room seem to become lighter.

"This time, This place  
Misused, Mistakes  
Too long, Too late  
Who was I to make you wait  
Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know"

The three words she craved to hear herself ricocheted off the walls of the chamber as she sang them, following the tune of the song and completely transfixed in her own world. If only her guitar was here, or at least a tambourine. She pretended to dance with a stranger, someone she never thought on meeting. They twirled around the chamber, all smiles as she sang beautifully, hoping to never let go. Her black sand figment held her close as they waltzed around the floor, never stepping once on each other's toes.

"On my knees, I'll ask  
Last chance for one last dance  
'Cause with you, I'd withstand  
All of hell to hold your hand  
I'd give it all  
I'd give for us  
Give anything but I won't give up  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know"

Lanie let her shadow man spin her around and dip her to the floor, her hands holding his shoulders tightly. The orchestra kept playing the music she loved to hear and sing, and all the imaginary dancers bowed to the couple and continued their own dance, encircling the main pair, a flurry of sandy dresses and blackened tuxedos. The lights on the globe seemed to glow brighter, giving the room a more appealing atmosphere.

"Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go"

Lanie felt a smile grow as the shadows faded back into nothingness. The eyes she felt that were rested on her didn't disappear. She couldn't see them, but she knew she felt them.

Pitch smirked as he watched her smiling brightly. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, quite pleased with the performance he provided for her. _Anything…for her._ He thought, melting into the darkness, his smile and eyes still visible.


	9. Chapter 9

**FINALLY! THE LONG AWAITED! Here we go! :D**

On the sixth day of Lanie's waiting for whatever Pitch was working on, Kimi was hot on their trail. Her willpower would not falter, even when she faced certain moments when people gave her false hope. The sand she kept in a hankie urged her on. While she drove down Maine, through Massachusetts, and past New Jersey, she kept her backpack in view. It contained the normal necessities a grown woman needed: her wallet, her cell phone, her GPS, snack trail mix, a journal and a notepad. The things a woman her age would be considered odd were hidden in a secret compartment, just in case she got pulled over for speeding. Good thing she wasn't caught yet, which surprised her. It brought back memories how Lanie was always the responsible driver, and Kimi remained that speeder gal. She kept the sand hidden from sight, only letting her have that chance for those quick, disturbing reminders of that school terror. What Ninet described was unimaginable. It was pretty possible to believe the Boogeyman was behind it all. The rope like sand that almost coiled around her neck that school day did enough to give her proof. She pleaded for Ninet to describe what he looked like, and she drew his image down by the way Ninet told her. Kimi also had a camera, the kind where it picked up anything out of the ordinary, specifically high energy levels when developed. She also bought two books from the local book store. She remembered the cashier's face when she brought them to buy them. It was a double take to see if this woman was still sane. She certainly was. She lied saying it was for her cousin's birthday, and fortunately the cashier accepted it; a guide on spirits, the afterlife, and spiritual rituals and a book on following the shadows, a guide to search even the darkest abyss. Kimi was a bright girl, and a very smart one at that. She knew that judging by the shadow that stay wherever the sun moves, that is the predicted trail of the Boogeyman. Sometimes she felt like she was on a wild goose chase, almost losing all hope. She was positive she was on the right trail, but she didn't know where she was going. When she got out of her Volvo once again to search for black sand and the possible location where she is, she was on the verge of tears. Kimi was losing faith. She desperately wanted to save Lanie, but all hope was slipping from her grasp like lost dreams.

That's when she met him. Ben. He saw her crying outside his drugstore, and he immediately felt sympathetic. He slowly strolled up to her, a crinkle in his brows as he worried why she was crying.

"You okay, ma'am?" he asked, pocketing a small box of Tylenol in his pocket.

"I'm *sniff* I'm okay. I don't know where I am. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore." Kimi made the choice to look up at him through her tear stained eyes.

They both lost their breath. That was when Kimi met her future husband, and Ben met his future wife. He comforted her, having the special ability to bring hope back into her heart. She kept talking about this Boogeyman character, and oddly enough, he believed it. Something clicked in his mind as they talked in the back café, sipping delicately on hot vanilla coffee. When he was little, his father would tell tales of how he kept away from the forest near his home. His father lived in Delaware, close to the Blackbird State Forest. Ben's father told him-as Ben was telling Kimi-that there have been mysteries of kids running into the woods, and returning so frightened, they couldn't even recall what happened. Sometimes they never even returned. Ben's father was one of those kids who went in, and the first thing he saw before sprinting back to his house was a broken bed frame, and a shadow of a man was rising up from underneath it.

That was all Kimi needed to hear. She thanked him immensely and drove off after giving each other contact numbers. They'll see each other again…hopefully.

Lanie hurried down the hallway and down the stairs, back into her normal human clothes. She wanted to feel that close feeling of jeans on her legs and that favorite purple madras shirt she missed so much. She was finally tired of being cooped up in that damned lair, not able to see the light of day. She was sick of waiting anxiously for whatever Pitch was working on, and there certainly wasn't any patience left in the girl. Hopefully, she can collect some wildflowers from outside in the forest for her room, or maybe even pinecones and smooth stones. Anything to spice up her room. Pitch was nowhere to be seen, and she quickly scurried up the crooked stairs that led to the white light above. Her legs were sore from the long climb, but she didn't give up. _Finally, I can feel life._ Lanie took one look back into the lair before back at the light shining in her eyes. She guessed it was nighttime, judging by the white dimness.

"Pitch never said I can't go out into the forest…not that I remember." Lanie swallowed, then took a giant stride onto the last step, then leaped onto the warm soil. A soft breeze kissed her face, one of those cool, nighttime ones she used to feel on the beach under the palm trees. She slowly stood up as she scanned her view. Everything was completely dark. She could easily make out the trees, but they towered above her like phantoms. Rocks gleamed with the moonlight, and the grass tickled her hands when she bent down to touch them.

"Not a bad hideout, Pitch. It's easy to hide in here." Lanie said, watching the leaves rustle in the wind.

She started to peer around at the ground carefully, picking up any clovers she found and closed flowers. She found nibbled leaves with intricate designs, and pocketed them along with small pebbles into her jean pockets.

While she unwarily walked further and further away from the lair, steering clear of thorn brambles and sharp sticks, she contemplated on her new 'life.' Not mortal, but not immortal? What a way to drop it softly. So basically, she was dead, but not dead. It didn't make any sense to her. Maybe Pitch was using a scheme to keep her in, making her believe she can't be seen? It seemed possible. He heard too many times that no one believed in him, so wouldn't he tell her that so he won't be alone?

"Now that I look at it, it doesn't seem logical enough. The guy at least takes care of me but…it's not enough." Lanie muttered to herself, kicking a patch of moss with her foot. _God, I sound so selfish. I really need a life._

She admired him, and she wasn't afraid to admit that. She didn't see anything wrong with agreeing that he was quite the guy. He was brave, somewhat stuck up, polite at times, had a dark side-seducing is a huge part-, and from what Lanie could see, he wanted acceptance. She remembered when she first came, how he told her he wanted to be believed in, to be loved, to have a family, for acceptance. She said she'd never give it to him, not any of those things. He simply laughed and said, _all in good time._ Now that Lanie looked back on that, there was something hidden behind his eyes when she said that. He may have succeeded in acting rude and superior, but…was he feeling that internally? His eyes looked…empty. As if he has been so alone for a number of years, he's about to lose hope. _Being believed in isn't just what someone needs. It's love, too._ Lanie stopped in her tracks, feeling goose bumps rise on her arms. Her heart jumped at the word. _Love._ It kicked her chest. _I love…_ she thought, and her heartbeat begged for the rest, battering against her breast.

_I love…Pitch?_ Lanie's hands got all sweaty as her heart sang happily, completely agreeing to the statement/question. _This can't be possible. Why would I love him? This is a serious case of Stockholm syndrome._ Lanie shook her head, but her heart screamed against it. Even her mind acted along, making her think of that love song that always brought her to tears when she heard it on the radio back home.

_Listen to your heart  
when he's calling for you.  
Listen to your heart  
there's nothing else you can do.  
I don't know where you're going  
and I don't know why,  
but listen to your heart  
before you tell him goodbye._

"I love Pitch." Lanie whispered, shocked such a thing would ever happen to her. This feeling of love has never hit her this strongly before. Sure, she's dated guys who she thought she loved, but this…was completely different. This love she was feeling was unconditional.

"I love Pitch Black." Lanie felt a smile threaten her lips as her heart hammered happily.

And then that moment ended.

A rustle in the bushes frightened her out of her small talk, getting louder and louder. Now Lanie's heart pounded with fear instead of blissful love. Her feet slowly moved back as the pack of wolves morphed from the bushes, teeth bared and wild sparks in their eyes. They were hungry. They were ready to kill. Lanie could feel sweat beginning to drip down her brow. These weren't Pitch's tricks. They were definitely real. The leader of the pack leaped closer, and snapped its jaws at her neck. She fell back and screamed, scrambling to her feet. She tried to run, but it was no use.

The leader of the pack shoved her back down, and she fell into an icy cold stream. She was too frightened and busy screaming to wonder why it was cold in July. The wolves had fun playing with her, scaring her to death with their rancid breath and gnashing teeth. They cut through her shivering skin with their claws as they threw her against the trees.

Lanie's breath left her lungs when she collapsed from the last throw, the wild beasts surrounding her. Six to count, in total. She looked up, feeling something warm run down her forehead and into her right eye, oozing down her cheek. When they slowly drew closer, ready to finally attack and eat her, she faced the only hope she had left in her life.

"PITCH!" shouted Lanie.

**Huh? HUH?! :) Pretty good place to stop, right? Hehehe, you don't know what's coming next. :) bwahahahaa...**

**Pitch: The evilness kind of suits you, oddly.**

**Me: Why THANK you! How's my evil laugh?**

**Pitch: You need to work on it.**

**Me: -_- Poop.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hehehehehe I had fun writing this chapter. ^_^**

Just as the leader of the pack growled and charged, black sand swarmed around Lanie. The pack leader shrunk back quickly, afraid of what was the strange substance. Lanie's eyes her shut firmly closed, thinking it was her last moment. When she felt nothing, she forced her eyelids open. There stood the man she figured out she loved. He glared at the wolves, a look of kill and hatred. Fearlings circled around Lanie and Pitch, intimidating the wolves. The weakest ones shrunk back, not liking the eerie air of the Boogeyman.

"You're lucky I take pity on you starving brutes. But hurting my Lanie won't let you off the hook that easily." Pitch said darkly.

With that, he summoned a giant wave of complete blackness, enveloping the animals with fright and terror. Their howls could easily be heard over the rush of the fearlings. When Pitch had his fill of revenge, he waved his hand, making all the black sand vanish. The wolves were sound asleep, but fighting off terrible nightmares of hunters, starvation, fierce winters and abandonment.

Pitch didn't say anything as he went back to Lanie, who was drenched in icy cold water and mud. She was shivering, despite the warm air. Her green eyes were fixated on him, both grateful for her hero but scared by his stony expression. He looked betrayed, disappointed and angry. He picked her up in the usual bridal style, holding tight to her body.

"We don't have that much time. They could wake up any minute." He said gruffly, walking into the shadows.

Lanie's heart picked up. She so badly wanted to tell him what she just felt a few minutes before the wolf ambush. "Pitch-" she started.

"Don't even, Lanie." Pitch had no clue she was just about to confess, but he quickly shut her up.

Lanie was in a different room, she knew that. This one had a grand fireplace and a black, vintage chaise lounge close by. There were other comfy chairs around, but no bed. Otherwise, this room had the same lighting and rugs as her own bedroom. Pitch was rummaging around, grumbling at how stupid she was and how she almost got herself killed. He knew she was listening. Lanie absolutely understood why he was so fuming. She disobeyed him, and almost faced certain death. That wild encounter frightened her enough to make her stay in the lair for a long time. Pitch forced her to change into her sleep wear, and then yanked her back up once she was done and brought her here. Lanie was sitting quietly on the shaggy rug that was placed close to the roaring fire, warming up her bones. But it didn't stop her from sneezing. She kept on shivering, her nose turning red. _Great. How do you get a freaking cold in the summertime? _Lanie berated herself, _I'm so stupid. No wonder Pitch hates me._

Suddenly, Pitch dropped down next to her, placing a bowl of warm water on the floor, a white cloth dunked inside. He forced Lanie to turn to him, and then watched her suffer from the silence. _How…why would she…_Pitch's mind was racing. Was she faking all that friendliness all along? It hurt him badly. The innocence he thought she had was all a lie.

"What were you thinking?" his unfeeling voice made the air seem colder, making Lanie flinch.

"I-"

"You could've been killed. There was a reason I told you not to go out there, and you deliberately disobeyed me." Pitch's voice was getting somewhat close to a yell, but lowered it once he was done.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"You better be. You're so damn lucky I was out there. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have heard you scream." Pitch avoided her searching eyes, reaching for the wet cloth.

After wringing most of the water out, he started dabbing at her forehead. Lanie could only watch him intently as he cleaned up the dried blood on her brow. The dampness on her forehead felt good, and being cared for like this from the King of Nightmares? Not one person would've expected to see worry written on his face as he tended to wounds. It made her wonder how he knew to clean up cuts. He must've had to learn that with all these battles he had with the Guardians. She knew even spirits bled…right?

Pitch finally got all the blood off her face, relieved it wasn't hers. Not a gash could be seen on her face or her arms, but there was the occasional bloodless scrape from landing on rocks or the teeth of the wolves. He looked at the cloth, curious at the sight of the crimson liquid. He knew she was watching him, and he surely wasn't going to look at her. Not that he hated her, certainly not. He was afraid his heart would hammer against his chest again like all those times before he looked into those easily readable eyes. Her green irises were like the green of leaves against the summer sun, making him entranced. But he had the backbone to look away and keep himself under control. He showed Lanie the blood, keeping a serious look.

"You're lucky this isn't your blood." He said calmly.

"I'm lucky? Or you?" Lanie's voice was just a whisper. She wanted to give some hint of her feelings, but regretted them once they were said. This was Pitch Black she was in love with. The only feelings that were common to see in him were cruelty, coldness, trickery, maturity and superiority. Yet…Lanie saw things that no one else had, not even the Guardians. She saw glimpses of affection, of worry, of contentment, and even a bit of flirtatiousness. He was a living being, not just an evil nothingness. When she was being attacked, she saw something that would seem impossible for the Guardian of Fear.

She saw fear.

But what would that change in him? She's never seen love in him, not yet anyways. Who is she to think he'll take the hint? Maybe she would see him give a clue, but maybe not. Her heart was on the verge of bursting.

"…Both of us."

Lanie's head shot up to look at him. _What does he mean by that?_

Abruptly, his arm reached out and tugged Lanie to him, her head colliding into his chest. She was dumbfounded when his arms wrapped around her tighter, pulling her closer to him as possible without crushing her.

"Don't you dare tell anyone that I was scared. Don't...ever." he mumbled against her hair, making her shiver again.

_What is he doing? What am I supposed to do?_ Lanie was freaking out inside, both exuberant and anxious on what to do. Why was Pitch holding her this close? Was he…feeling the same things as she? _Ugh, you weakling. How're you falling in love that fast?! This man stole you from your life, your home and your school. You can't live the future life you've wanted because of this wretched man. _The devil of Lanie's conscience grumbled. _Lanie, listen to your heart. Don't think with your mind. Think with your heart. If you love him this much, then prove it to him. If he turns you down, then ask if he can give you freedom. He's worth taking the risk. _Her good conscience said sweetly.

Before Lanie could open her mouth to speak, he cut in unknowingly, enjoying her closeness to him.

"You know that man in that dream you always cherished so much? The one where you love him?" Pitch did his best not to smirk.

Lanie knew. She gently smiled and sat up straight, staring straight into his eyes. They were glittering from the firelight, like actual gold coins.

"Yes. I know who you're talking about." Lanie didn't know she had a dreamy look on her face. _He's the one! He's the one you've searched for, the one you wanted to be real! Your wish came true! _Her mind chanted. She could almost envision a miniature version of her bouncing up and down while clapping her hands, full of joy. The happiness that filled her heart made her forget the trouble she was in earlier. Lanie thought of how much Pitch put into those dreams. When Tooth visited the second time, she told the human girl who the Guardians were, and one of them was Sandman. He was the Guardian of Dreams, who sent perfect dreams to the sleeping populations all over the world. If the man in Lanie's dreams were Pitch, he must've done a hard job trying to convince Sandy to let him do that without poisoning her sleep with fear. True, Pitch did that. It took him years to persuade Sandy to let him enter Lanie's dreams, because Sandy was worried for Lanie's safety. But he saw the dream that Pitch took part of, and even though the little man was shocked, he was finally proud of Pitch for finding something that wasn't power. Sandy let a soft spot grow on him for Pitch, only allowing that one girl to be his gateway, and Pitch was happy enough with that. It's about time he tells her who the man in her dream really is.

"There's something I have to tell you…-!"

Lanie wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, burying her head in the crook of his neck. The smell of cedar wood was intoxicating. She wanted to hug him forever, just like this, in front of the fireplace. She could feel and almost hear his heart pound against his chest, making her smile even more. That definitely was a good sign. A really good sign. Pitch stared straight ahead, surprised she hugged him this…intimately. Feeling her body against him, her breath against his neck, her hands touching his neck, it sweetly tortured him. He glanced down at her. Her eyes were shut peacefully, enjoying the crackling of the fire and his heartbeat.

_Damn you, Pitch. You tried being tough on her, and you end up falling in love with her. Let alone let her TOUCH you like this! _His mind yelled at him, but he completely ignored that brute. He faced his true morality and found himself holding her closer, his hand stuck in her silken hair.

"I know you're him, Pitch. He was you before you were a spirit." Lanie leaned up, making his hands hold her waist. There was no turning back. They were destined to fall into the depths of love. True love. This was part of the plan that MiM made happen and allowed. Pitch was surprised she knew. It seemed like she didn't know.

"How?" Pitch watched her closely.

Lanie averted her eyes towards the roaring fire, her small smile still plastered to her face. She looked back at him, slightly amused at his expression.

"I remembered everything but your face. I guess all I needed to do was realize the one I love was right in front of me." Lanie said kindly.

Pitch looked confused for two seconds, then realized she meant him. His head shot back up just in time for her target. She kissed him right on his cheek, making him have that weird, pink blush. She lingered there, her soft lips pressed against his cheek. He never felt this before. The warmth in his heart turned to fire. _MiM…thank you for this._ He prayed as she drew back. She was just about to up and out to her room, afraid to see his reaction after that, but he grasped her wrist.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're not leaving that fast." Pitch smirked as he yanked her back.

"Pitch, I'm tired." Lanie groaned. He simply smiled boldly, his fingers finding the back of her neck.

"Then tire yourself out." His grin grew wider, then his lips encountered hers.

_Holy moly. I'm kissing-let alone in love with-the Boogeyman. More importantly, I'm KISSING him! Gees, I can almost hear my friend's opinions on this!_ Lanie was screaming with glee inside, shivering as his hand rested on her neck. _Stop shivering! I know you're cold, but you can't let him know! You want this to stop?!_

It was only a small kiss, just a simple lip to lip. So why was she getting all riled up from it? Same with Pitch. When they parted for a quick second, they were short of breath. Without a second thought, Pitch kissed her again, craving the taste of her honey like lips. Self-control seemed to be slipping from his grasp. _I have no idea what I'm doing. How am I doing this?! I HAVE NO ROMANCE KNOWLEDGE! _Her mind questioned, but was halted when Pitch separated from her. Lanie was somewhat breathless, and he found that entertaining.

"You're shaking…" he whispered.

"No I'm not." Lanie bit her lip, but backtracked, "Okay, I am. So?"

"Just let me, know, my dear. I can easily help that." He gently grabbed her arms, then focused.

Black sand crawled up her arms, but Lanie was not afraid. They formed into a warm and thick cloak, enveloping her torso in darkness but also warmth.

"You know, Lanie, you don't look that bad in black. It suits you." Pitch proudly observed his handiwork.

"I thought so, too. But I don't want it to wear all the time."

Pitch laughed at this, "Why? Kids are commonly called the Goths?" and he laughed more when Lanie nodded.

"Black's not my favorite color, you know." He gave her another playful look.

Lanie smiled and moved a bit on his hips, making him grunt. "Oh, really? You seem more like a purple kind of guy."

"Wrong again, my dear," he snatched her waist and flipped her onto her back. He bent close to her face, watching her blush madly, "it's green."

Lanie's heart sang as they met between a light kiss, turning into strong lip locking. Their lips were warm when they parted again, staring into each other's eyes. For once, both of them were released from stress. They both were at peace.

They didn't know what else was in store for them.

**SO ADORBS! KYAAAAA! 3 Dang, I wish I was Lanie! .**

**Pitch: The story would be better.**

**Me: SHADDUP THEY LIKE IT-wait...**

**Pitch: ;)**

**Me:...no. Just no.**


	11. Chapter 11

**To Daughter Earth 89: Thank you so much! :D Your review meant a lot! To darthcat (Guest): You're SO not the only one ^_^ and to Mystichawk: Your review made me laugh so hard, I was actually ROFLing! And btw, if Pitch is thirty and he kidnapped ME, I'd be totally fine with it. ;) Okay! Put aside the creepy talk and start the show!**

The seventh day, July 15th to be specific, Lanie woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed. The first thought she thought when she suddenly woke up was that she can finally see what Pitch has been working on for so long. Thankfully, the man himself finished everything while she was sleeping and was even able to catch a quick rest from the hard work before the sun rose. Although Lanie didn't have that gorgeous view of the sunrise like she did back home, her body and mind was in tune to nature, knowing when the sun rose and fell. She threw back the thin sheets and sprang out of bed, as if it was Christmas day. She padded across the cold floor to her wardrobe and quickly dressed into another nightmare dress, just for the thrill of wearing it again. Lanie taught herself how to morph the sand to the way she liked it, which was very peculiar. Usually, Pitch controlled the fear sand to his pleasure. Maybe he's allowing Lanie to have that bit of fun with her clothes? Oh, well. Lanie's new dress was like a noble medieval dress. It had puffed shoulders but then tapered back to the slim fitting sleeves she liked, all the way down to her wrists. The dress was somewhat thin, and fluttered around her ankles. The sand glimmered with tiny shimmers of purple, making it seem like she's wearing mystery and myth.

Once dressed and her hair was brushed, she grabbed a pastry from her table before running out of her room. She took a big bite into the icing filled croissant as she dashed down the hallway. _I'm so excited! Wait…maybe both scared and excited. Gees, it feels like ages!_ Lanie finished her breakfast, starting to trot down the stairs, both hurriedly and carefully. If she were to trip, she was probably fated to a broken arm or worse. _It's a shame the guy doesn't know what escalators are._ She took a giant leap, and landed on the ground on both feet rather loudly.

Pitch turned from his fearlings and smirked at her arrival. He knew she was making it clear she wanted to see his surprise. _Impatience is always a flaw, but it is certainly adorable in her._ He shooed his fearlings away, then strolled over to Lanie.

"Hi, Pitch!" Lanie beamed.

"Good morning. You woke up a little early, didn't you?" Pitch tilted his head in curiosity.

"Yup! Wanna know why?" Lanie nudged him playfully, making her question stretch out the 'why.'

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I know why, so there's no need to tell me, my dear." He touched her cheek, liking her sweet smile. He then gestured for her to walk with him towards the grand room, "Shall we?"

"I'd love to!" Lanie bounced happily, twirling as she went in front of Pitch.

_She's definitely happier than she was the last two days. Is there a limit?_ Pitch watched her, completely amused. _I like this Lanie better than the moping Lanie._ He peered at her back as she walked with a spring in her step, humming a happy tune under her breath. _She sang that song every time she came out of the shower back in Maine._ He grinned when she swung in a circle around a pillar, entirely in her own utopia.

"I do have one thing to question, my Lanie." Pitch gained her attention.

"Ask away."

"While I'm gone, does anyone visit you?" Pitch sneered as she froze.

Her head whipped to meet his gaze, afraid if she can lie or not. _Oh, God, he knows._ She winced as his sneer dug into her mind.

"I knew a certain feathered freak was trespassing my home…" he watched Lanie's eyes widen in terror, loving how he easily got her worked up. _Gosh, it's so much fun._

"But-!"

"I don't think it's unruly if she visits as long as I'm not around, got it? If I can deal with Sandy, I can deal with Tooth. Just…don't let her near my room." Pitch looked away, disgusted at the thought of the annoying fairy intruding into his private domain.

"You have a bedroom?" Lanie looked curious.

Pitch gave her a weird look. "Lanie…you were in there yesterday. Along with me, remember?"

He burst into laughter when Lanie's face reddened. He's never seen a girl blush a pink shade like that before, especially towards him. _I wonder how red she can get._ Pitch thought impishly. She tried looking away from him, but he grabbed her chin quickly, making her stare into his eyes. Her cheeks grew a darker pink.

"What? Was it awkward in there? It was only you and me." He grinned.

"Stop it, Pitch! You're teasing me!" Lanie wailed, her face becoming a beet red. Pitch laughed before gently pushing her towards the door, "You know, sometimes you really bug me." She grumbled, waiting for Pitch to open the door.

"And sometimes you bother me, too." Pitch shot back, a smirk stuck on his pale face.

He walked to the front of the door and opened it by a crack, but then shut it. He turned to Lanie, who was watching him curiously. She let a small, friendly smile on her lips to show she's not bugging him now.

"Close your eyes." He commanded. Lanie did so confidently, also holding her hands behind her back.

With that, he whisked the door open, a curious summer breeze flowing over the couple. Pitch made sure Lanie's eyes were still closed, and took one of her soft hands. He carefully led her into the large chamber, making sure he was in the middle of the room before she could see her surprise.

"Remember how I asked if you still loved your hobbies?"

"Yeah, you asked me that about a week and a half ago. Why?" Lanie squeezed his hand, but he let go.

"Open your eyes, my dear." Pitch slowly drew behind her, watching her face with anticipation.

Lanie did so, and once her green eyes lay on the room, her breath was lost. Her eyes widened in astonishment and joy, her heart picking up speed. _Holy…he did all this?_ The ceiling was bewitched to look like the starry night sky, and clouds of nebula could vaguely be seen from the stars and moon. Black dust swirled around the giant 'window', giving it a mystical look. The floor was littered with Indian rugs and petals of all her favorite flowers: tulips, yellow roses, apricot blossoms, larkspur, and daisies. Piles of gems gave off the dim light that sparkled on the carpets, consisting of diamonds, emeralds, opals and rubies. She squealed with joy when she saw her own guitar lying on a pile of down pillows, along with a few of her favorite novels. Pitch even set up her old easel and paint sets close to the lighted diamonds, giving the perfect light for drawing or painting. Lanie ran into the middle of the room in glee, staring up at the stars until her neck hurt. She sighed happily when she collapsed onto the soft carpets, the huge pillows supporting her back. She stretched her arms towards her guitar, then bringing it close to her like a teddy bear. Its smooth wood and gentle string hum was bliss to her, her smile never faltering. _This is by far the best gift I've ever gotten from someone. _When Lanie looked back up towards the sky again, she met with Pitch's eyes. He stood above her, casually watching her take in all the happiness he gave her. She beamed as she pushed her guitar away. It slid a little bit from the friction of the rugs, but stopped in front of a pile of daisy petals. Lanie reached up towards him, her hand outstretched for his.

"Thank you, Pitch." She whispered, cheerful tears welling up in her eyes.

He went slack jawed witnessing her overflowing joy. He'd never thought he would make a girl this happy, let alone have one. He gave a small smile as his hand intertwined with hers. Suddenly, she yanked him towards the ground, making him stumble and surprised. Once he fell next to her, Lanie snuggled up against him, not caring how freaked out he was that she acted so boldly. Her fingers trailed along the exposed grey skin of his V-neck, making him get goose bumps. His heart was starting to melt from a blackened rock to red hot magma, beating in sync with hers. His open mouth grew into a gentle smile when his arms enclosed her torso, taking in the warmth she possessed.

"You're very welcome." He murmured when she looked up at him kindly.

While that was occurring in the lair, Kimi was hot on their trail, so very close to Blackbird Forest. She parked her car in a highway stop area to read her books for references while eating her long awaited breakfast. Nothing special, just a box of Honey Nut Cheerios and a hot cup of tea. She flipped to the important sections of the shadow book she bought, grossly interested in its contents. Although she didn't find answers she was looking for, she knew they'd be of use in some other life. It mostly covered how to ward off evil spirits, make peace with ghosts, and connect to the spiritual world. Right when Kimi was about to close the book and toss that out of her trusty choices, another segment of the book grabbed her attention. It got her completely off guard, causing her to almost choke on her scalding green tea. While she coughed and spluttered, she flipped to the designated chapter. Someone outside must've saw her suffering while paying for a donut, and they tapped on her window to see if she was fine. Once Kimi nodded at the kind gentleman, he smiled and left, glad she wasn't having a heart attack. Kimi took the book back out of its hiding place and whipped open the chapter: Human Spirits in the Real World. It was divided in chapters by things kids would think were just scary bedtime stories, such as fairies, elves, goblins, gnomes, sirens, banshees, and finally-the only one without a group-the Boogeyman. Kimi found the book close to her nose as she read the entire chapter, as if her life was resting somewhere in the printed words.

_The Boogeyman is known to hide anywhere in the entire world that is consumed by darkness. Whether it'd be under your bed, in your closet, or even the abyss down in the sea. He is known to reside at the core of the earth, where not even a touch of light can reach. His characteristics are unknown, as well as his real name and his appearance. However, there have been recordings of people claiming they have met the Boogeyman personally, and suffered terrible nightmares because of him. If you are to ever come across the Boogeyman, the best thing to do is to swallow your fear; don't show it at all. He feeds off fear as if it was a meal, and it is his way of gaining power. Dark Ages sound familiar to you? Ever wondered who or what was responsible for that? Bingo, you've got him. If you ever end up in the abyss where he resides, take with you a concoction of the following:_

_Chamomile_

_Clean water_

_ Aloe_

_Pepper_

_Peppermint_

_Once digested, you will be immune to his chaotic powers and return as a full mortal. This will allow you to also visit again and stay as a mortal without taking the concoction twice._

Kimi slammed the book shut, buckled up, and put the car in reverse. This time, for sure. Once she hit the intersection, she got off the nearest exit towards the town closest to Blackbird Forest.

"God, what am I doing?" Kimi rolled her eyes as she switched on her blinker, "What if this book is a fake?"

She pondered on the possibilities, and then shrugged. "Well, it's worth a shot. If it doesn't work and it kills me, then maybe I can see Lanie in the afterlife…" she trailed off sadly at that last thought.

"Damn, she better not be dead. Or else the Boogeyman will be do." She added threateningly, taking a turn down a dirt road.

She slowly drove her car down the road, knowing that somewhere here should be an herbal store. Just as she reached another dirt road, at the corner laid a crooked store with only one other car sitting in the small parking lot. In the back, there was a giant garden that had herbs, fruit trees and vegetables in rows. _That's definitely it._ She veered to the right and parked, turning off her Volvo. She got out and entered the leaning store, a bell tinkling at her arrival. All around her were shelves upon shelves of herbs, fruits, and veggies, even some weeds and twigs. There were jars of crushed flowers and bottles of dust like herbs, making the one-room store smell strangely of a forest. Behind the main counter was an old woman crushing nettles and apple leaves with a pestle and bowl, she looked up, and then smiled at Kimi. She had crooked teeth, but she seemed rather kind.

"Welcome to Benita's Herbal Supply! Everything is half off." She croaked, continuing with her project.

Kimi cautiously walked up to the desk, waiting for the woman to finish. Once she was done, she looked up at the young, Asian woman.

"How may I help you this fine day?"

"I need certain herbs for a…project. A drink of them, perhaps?" Kimi stammered.

"Ah!" the woman exclaimed, and then scuttled out from behind the desk, "brewing will cost you an extra ten dollars, but I believe I know what you need. Just name your herbs, and I'll help you get them, honey."

Kimi watched the old woman oddly. _Am I the nutty one? Or is she?_ "Uh, I need chamomile, aloe, pepper, and peppermint."

The woman froze and stared at her new customer in shock. Could it be? This young woman was risking her life! Did she know what these herbs were commonly used for as a mixture?

"Jiminy cricket, you're not going into Blackbird Forest, are you?" the woman quickly got the jars of herbs Kimi needed, and scooped out two spoonfuls into a wooden bowl.

"I am. A certain…being…kidnapped my friend, and I need to get her back. It's the only way." Kimi impatiently took out her wallet.

She could barely hear the woman mutter, "Some things should be left alone, but nobody teaches the kiddies these days."

The elderly lady ground up the mixture of Kimi's chosen herbs in the pestle, and then touched them with her fingers to make sure they were almost like dust. She scurried into the back room, where a faint whistle could be heard. She came back out with a small kettle that was just steaming with hot water. She got out a thermos and opened the lid. She poured the water in, and then the entire bowl of herbs. She got a stirring rod and mixed the drink a bit, then finally, she was ready.

"That'll be $23.88. The thermos is free as well, honey. Do be careful out there, and only drink this when you're just entering Blackbird Forest. Otherwise, it'll have no effect."

"Thank you, ma'am. Have a good day." Kimi quickly placed the money on the counter, took her new thermos, and left the store. She couldn't dare look back at the concerned, old woman.

Time passed as she drove towards the forest, and it was about between noon and dinner time when she arrived, parking in a long abandoned parking lot. She got out of the car, grabbed her jacket, and walked towards the edge of the forest.

"Here it is…Blackbird Forest." She nervously grasped her thermos as she drew closer. Of course, in the summertime down in Delaware, it was scorching hot. But oddly, the nights were cold, as if the sun had never risen. She was smart to bring along a coat against the cold nights. Kimi looked down at the strange colored beverage. _Well, if the old lady was freaked out about this, surely it'll work, right? I mean, that leaves me to wonder how the author figured this out himself._ Once done thinking, Lanie's best friend took a quick sip to see if it was ok. Once the bitter taste settled on her tongue, she downed the entire thing to get rid of it. Once she got all the tea-like dregs, she wiped her mouth, and then casually walked into the dark depths of the woods, as if it was a normal walk in the park.

**FYI, the concoction is NOT real! I chose those herbs because of the meaning behind it...but you can try it if you want. :) I don't see any harm in a new type of tea!**

**...I'm going to go try that. And I will be INVINCIBLE!**

**Pitch: And probably sick.**

**Me: Get out.**

**Pitch: No, its my story.**

**Me:...fine...but I will be invincible.**


	12. Chapter 12

**It's the end of vacation, so don't get your hopes up that there will be updates right in the morning. :) New chapters would probably be up in the afternoon or nighttime! Have a great day, guys and girls!**

Pitch was happy enough to lay there on the rugs with his hands behind his head, watching his girl stare at the stars. Her guitar was placed on her lap, eager to be strummed. He eyed the guitar, then Lanie. It felt like ages since he heard-more like spied-her play that instrument. The ones that truly enchanted him were her lullabies she sang to the kids she babysat. He can't remember of this one specific song that warmed his heart so much. He hasn't heard the song before, but he was really entranced when she would play it. What were the details? Who was she caring for at the time?

"Lanie, love?" Pitch looked back at the stars.

"Yes?" she was glad Pitch couldn't see her gleeful face when he called her that.

"What was that song you sang for the three year old about four years ago?"

Lanie paused to think. "I need more details. I've babysat many toddlers in the past."

Pitch jerked up to stare at her with a horrified expression. "You sit on _babies_?!" he questioned.

Lanie fell back from her sudden laughter, holding her aching stomach. He sat there watching her, not amused to the slightest bit. When Lanie finally collected herself, she spoke, "babysitting is a term for taking care of kids. Like a nanny."

"Huh. Don't even use that 'term' around me again." He lay back down, still wanting her answer from his previous question.

"Of course, you're Majesty." Lanie mockingly bowed her head, and then giggled when Pitch glared at her with a smile.

"Was the three year old a girl?" Lanie petted her guitar, as if it was a cat.

"Yes. You called her Willow. It was thundering out and she was scared. You sang that song around August, about nighttime."

"Oh! Willow Armstrong!" Lanie exclaimed, cute memories of the girl drifting through her head. "Gosh, she was one of my favorite kids. She was terrified of thunderstorms. Let's see…" Lanie thought slowly, plucking a bit at the strings of her classic guitar.

_Willow watched Lanie fix her little doll. It was raining quite hard outside, and it was one of those storms where it would scare the living daylights out of the little three-year-old. Willow loved those Tuesdays and Fridays when she would come over to Lanie's house to be babysat, and she cherished each one. Willow thought Lanie was the most beautiful teenager she's ever seen, and envied her short brown hair. Willow was born with frizzy, crazy blond hair, making it hard to brush. Lanie was by far her most favorite babysitter, probably because she was allowed three baby bowls of ice cream on her birthday a few days ago. She watched her sitter adoringly as she finished patching up the doll's arm, when loud thunder struck outside, light flashing brightly. It was so frightening, it even made Lanie jump for a quick second. Willow screamed, and then buried herself under the blankets Lanie wrapped her in. She could hear Lanie chuckle a bit, thinking how cute the little girl was._

_"Oh, Willow. Are you okay?" Lanie moved back the blankets to see the trembling toddler._

_Willow nodded. Lanie smiled, then lifted her up into her arms, handing her the doll. Willow clutched it as if it were her life._

_"You know, you're a lot braver than you think. All you have to do is believe in yourself." Lanie looked Willow in the eyes. She had pretty blue eyes like blueberries._

_"Lady Song, please?" Willow smiled, cuddling close to Lanie's chest._

_"Alright." Lanie beamed, wrapping Willow up in her fallen blanket._

"Little baby, hear my voice.

I'm beside you, O maiden fair

Our young Lady, grow and see

Your land, your own faithful land

Sun and moon, guide us

To the hour of our glory and honor

Little baby, our young Lady

Noble maiden fair."

Lanie didn't realize she sang the song along with the guitar in front of the King of Nightmares. She was lost in her memories while she did. When she finished the song, she came back to the present, not feeling that swell in her heart. She's in her new home with a man she may love, and she can never leave to see the children she left. She glanced back at Pitch, who was intently watching her. He knew she was having trouble thinking of the children she cared for, knowing she can never see them again. It pained him how she had limitations in order to stay, but it was for the best, and there was nothing he could do to change that.

"You really do have a lovely singing voice." He smiled, lying back down.

"Yeah, well, I'm not as good as others. I can't hit high notes." Lanie put the guitar further away from her, and then crawled next to Pitch, snuggling up against him once again.

"Pitch?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you choose me?" Lanie looked up at him.

He looked confused, so she explained a bit more, "I mean, there are a bunch of other girls in the world-"

"Don't even bother explaining. I knew I loved you because you were _you._ End of story." He looked back at her, "Beauty doesn't count for me, and it's usually the ones with very interesting nightmares and…a lot of bravery."

Lanie couldn't help but smile at him as he said those heartwarming words. _Me? Brave? Well, okay. You're the Boogeyman._ Her mind shrugged her shoulders.

They almost kissed. They were so close, just leaning in, lost in each other's eyes. Right when their noses could touch, a nightmare steed came zooming in, completely frustrated and freaked out about something. It startled Lanie and made her sit upright, and even Pitch was concerned at the sudden arrival. Lanie let Pitch hurriedly get up and try to calm down the horse, but it kept rearing back in urgency.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He stroked the black horse's muzzle.

All was quiet when Pitch somehow communicated with the beast. It was quite interesting, and it made Lanie get up and stand next to her man, hiding the fear she possessed. She remembered Pitch's words a few days ago: _Even the Boogeyman can become afraid. One must learn to hide that fear in order to protect oneself from my nightmares…but you don't see me telling children that do you?_ He ended that last conversation with a chuckle, and Lanie just politely smiled. But now it all made sense. It's not as if he can completely control his creations, they also kind of control him. They're the reason he's the Boogeyman, it was clear as daylight. But Lanie finds it shocking how the fearlings turned him into the King of Nightmares, and end up as his servants in his work. _That definitely doesn't happen at my school._ She thought.

Suddenly, Pitch whipped around and slammed his hand against her mouth, yanking her to the nearest dark shadow. She tried protesting, but he held her strongly. _What's he doing?! Is he going to hurt me?!_ She tried prying off his hand, but with his other, he clutched her hand to her side. Once they finally reached the dark spot, Pitch let go of her mouth. Before she could yell at him for his sudden jolt, he pressed a finger to his lips, telling her to be absolutely quiet.

"What's wrong?" she whispered, not caring about what she was told to do.

"Apparently some human wandered into my lair…intentionally." He looked behind him as if he was being spied on.

"Would they even hear us in this room?!" she whispered hoarsely, proving she was peeved at this nonsense.

"Even walls have ears, love. Now do me a favor, and shut up." He glared at her, and then smiled when she stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

"Come on, we're seeing who it is. Looks like I'm scaring off another unfortunate soul." Pitch wrapped his arm around her waist in tight security as they morphed into the darkened corner. Within seconds, they were in the main room, but in an obscure crevice in the wall.

"Well, well, well…" he crooned softly to only Lanie.

"What? Who is it?"

"That damn friend of yours. The one from your last class in school. Was it Kiki?"

"Kimi?!" Lanie shrieked, and then peeked out. She forgot to whisper completely, making Pitch groan in irritation.

She witnessed Kimi whipping around at the sound, completely terrified in being in such a looming, creepy place. _I feel like I'm in Hell._ When Lanie's friend heard her cry, she almost screamed, half of joy that she was somewhere here but also from terror.

"Lanie?! Is that you?!" Kimi started spinning in circles, unsure where to look.

"I'm right here!" Lanie screamed in joy, running out of the darkened gap. Pitch tried tugging her back, but he missed. He grumbled as he retracted, watching his love bond with someone she never should have seen again.

"OH MY GOD!" Kimi hollered, tears welling up in her eyes as she saw Lanie running towards her. They shared a tight hug, crying into each other's shoulders full of happiness and relief. Lanie pulled back with the biggest smile.

Kimi looked Lanie up and down, appalled at her clothing. "Good God, Lanie! What the hell are you wearing?"

"Isn't it beautiful?" Lanie twirled, making the glittering black dress flutter in the air. It earned a small smile from Kimi, but became bothered again.

"Did…did he give it to you?" Kimi watched Lanie dance around oddly. She's never seen a faraway expression on her friend's face. Ever.

"Yeah…" Lanie sighed, swinging around a rock pillar. She glanced at Kimi, who was staring at her in misunderstanding. "You don't like it?"

"No, it's very beautiful. It just boggles my mind that you'd ever wear a dress. Not only that, but did you forget he kidnapped you?" Kimi tried making Lanie a little less silly.

Lanie walked over to Kimi with a huge smile, her green eyes sparkling. She rested her hands on her friend's shoulders, and Kimi looked at her hands awkwardly. She never liked being touched. But Lanie didn't move.

"I'm in love, Kimi." Lanie giggled once she finished, like a celebrity fan girl.

"WITH HIM!?" Kimi hollered, completely horrified, "Girl, we need to get you out of here!"

She started poking and prodding a giggling Lanie, thinking of all types of possibilities that the Boogeyman could've placed on her to make her act like this.

"Maybe you've got a serious case of Stockholm Syndrome. Or maybe he put a love spell on you! What if he put so many nightmares to your head, it made you have a mental breakdown? Is he controlling you with possession? Gosh, what if he hypnotized you to fall in love with him?!" Kimi hyperventilated.

Lanie finally sighed in defeat, then stepped back. This was odd behavior for someone like Lanie. Kimi thought this would happen differently. She thought Lanie would be so grateful for an escape and that Kimi came to rescue her. She thought they'd run back out, sprinting through the forest, and hopping into her car, never going back to the forest again. Why was she so…happy? She was happy in this dark, dreary place? She liked being around a complete maniac? Apparently so.

"Kimi, why did you come here?" Lanie asked, finally serious. Her friend gave her a gentle smile, showing she had a long story to share.

"I promised your mother I would try to bring you home. I told her I knew you weren't dead, and she believes that as well. I got a few books to help me get here. This very nice lady gave me a powerful herbal drink that can keep me mortal when I leave. Oh, Lanie, everyone misses you." Kimi tried hugging Lanie, but she shrunk back. Lanie stood up, and Kimi witnessed something she'd never thought she'd ever see.

Lanie had changed.

She held a powerful and strong air around her, and she held her stance firm, showing she's not leaving.

"Liar. No one misses me. Since when did anyone back home care about me?" Lanie looked at the ground in anguish.

"You seriously want me to list them!? We've all been affected by your missing! Your mom has been depressed, your brother is getting in trouble at school, Mr. Moore lost his job, and I'm taking online classes because I wanted to find you, Margaret is making bad choices with her boyfriend, Jen hasn't contacted me within two months, and Ninet is DEAD!" Kimi yelled.

Lanie's head jerked up at that last note. Kimi bit her lip, hating the feeling of lying to her friend. Ninet wasn't dead, but she was close. She completely changed. She was like a walking corpse; unresponsive and emotionless. She left Jay, Maine just before her junior graduation, hoping that running away to California would ease the pain of Lanie's absence. She blamed herself for Lanie's kidnapping, and nothing that Kimi nor her other friends could say would make her feel better. But…it only took Lanie a minute to see that Kimi was lying. When her friend lied, her eyes glistened and she nibbled on her lip, like she was doing then.

"Again, you are a liar. I am not coming home." Lanie turned her back, hurt that Kimi wanted to separate her from Pitch.

"Lanie, you don't belong here!"

"Yes, she does." A deep voice shouted, making Kimi fall to the ground in terror. Lanie watched her friend's fear in contempt, upset her friend was sending this bad message.

Pitch appeared in a cloud of black dust next to Lanie, who looked up at him at his arrival. He glared daggers at Kimi, sending shivers down her spine. _The Boogeyman._

"Kimi, even if I wanted to go home, I couldn't. I didn't drink the brew you had. I'm not human anymore." Lanie let Pitch protectively wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her into him.

"But…" Kimi didn't know what to say. She was stunned at this.

_Stop, Kimi, _her heart berated herself, _if you are Lanie's friend, then give her that support Lanie needs. Be the friend that Lanie needs, no matter who she loves._ Kimi moved her head towards the ground, ashamed that she tried coaxing her back home. She is probably right. Lanie found her home, the place where she felt at peace. She couldn't understand why this bubbly, free spirited girl found herself at home here. But…people change. And Kimi had yet to learn that.

"So…you're staying here…forever?" Kimi stood up, not looking at her pal as she brushed dirt off her jacket.

"I'm sorry." Lanie leaned out of Pitch's small hug. She knew Kimi wasn't being mean to her. She would never do that.

"What will I tell your mom?" Kimi stared at Lanie in humiliation.

"Tell her that Lanie is alive." Pitch cut in.

"Really? Why?" Lanie looked at him, surprised by his option. She thought he would say something about her being dead.

"It is not right for someone to lie to an elder, especially a mother. I may not know that family connection Lanie has, and I probably never will. But tell Mrs. Sheridan that Lanie is alive, and that she can't come home. Keep faith in her."

Lanie smiled up at him adoringly, proud of him in every way. She got the hint he was worried about her and her family, so his generous caring was truly accepted. Lanie turned to Kimi, her smile becoming a small grin. Her eyes softened as she stared at her friend she may never see again.

"Tell my family I love them. And I forgive my friends…" Lanie let Kimi give her a tight hug, "However…"

Kimi pulled away, curious. She watched Lanie, waiting for whatever she was going to say. Lanie gave a look at Pitch, who also looked interested. She turned back at Kimi with a shaded expression, "If you see any of my old…adversaries…tell them I'm right behind their lids." She smiled as she let go of Kimi.

Pitch's face brightened. _I must be dreaming!_ Was she insisting she was going to spread fear by his side? Kimi still looked puzzled, but decided to shrug it off with a laugh.

"Whatever that means, Lanie, it doesn't sound good. Admitted, I held you back too much. So! You have fun with whoever those old 'adversaries' are. I'm pretty sure I won't be disappointed." Kimi turned towards the stairs leading to the gap to the forest, the sunset rays shining down into the earth's core.

"Oh, and one more thing, Boogeyman," Kimi stopped midway of the stairs, looking back at the tall spirit.

"Speak now, because I want to continue _entertaining _Lanie." He smirked when Kimi looked appalled.

"PITCH! That's not funny! Don't scare her off like that!" Lanie slapped his arm as he laughed.

"What do you think I do for a living? Sell balloons?" He pulled her to his chest and she giggled as they pressed their foreheads together.

"Don't get me wrong, you guys are cute, but not that cute. Lanie, I don't understand what you see in him." Kimi shook her head.

"You'll understand some day." Lanie smiled as Pitch kissed her on the cheek.

"Well, then I can't wait for the day. And Boogeyman," Kimi turned to him with a disapproving look, "you better treat my friend with all the respect you have. She's worth that much."


	13. Chapter 13: Strongly rated T!

**I've been waiting a long time for this! :D This is where you get to see some action. BOO-YAH! Oh, and do be warned. There's very bad language in this chapter. If you've read this far and wondered, "Why did she rate this story a T?"**

**Me:...you'll see soon.**

**Pitch: You should make a side story including all the 'special' details ;)**

**Me: Gees, how creepy can you get?!**

**Pitch:...I know you like it.**

**Me: HEHEHE YUP! ^_^**

More days passed quickly, each with every sunrise and sunset. By and by each day, Lanie witnessed Pitch slowly opening up like a flower faced to the sun. He was at the point where he'd limit his scary entrances and freak her out whenever he came home, and Lanie saw his smiles become more frequent when she was around and talking. Even in her dreams, he'd be there, sitting among the grassy plains waiting for her company, but he was no longer in his human form. What difference would it make? She found out he was her dream lover, so why bother stay human? And she was more than happy with that. On the last day of July, he questioned her why she liked seeing him the way he is rather than his past self. Her reply made him laugh, and when he would rethink the conversation during his nightmare rounds, he'd almost wake up the kids with his chuckles. _I think it's because I didn't know the past you…or maybe it's because you've got a dark side that completely hypnotizes me!_

July turned to August with each moon phase and sun travel across the sky, and soon, August was September. During that passing time, Pitch and Lanie grew closer and closer as each week went by. At this point now, they'd have discussions things a courting pair would have. They talked about past loves-even though Pitch didn't have many-, what they want later in life, what would happen if they died, or if they missed their old life. That last one was a frequent topic Pitch thought of for his girl, but what surprised him when he asked her, Lanie honestly said she didn't miss a thing. He considered it odd how she would not miss her family one bit. Maybe she didn't think of them during that question? He knew he had those quick pangs of loss when flashes of his past family would flit across his mind, but he blocked them out over time, almost forgetting them entirely. The same was happening to Lanie as well. She no longer remembered what the faces of her brothers looked like, and the voices she once knew of her loving parents were slipping from her grasp. In all terms, Lanie was finally moving on.

Lanie wasn't the only one moving on with life as well, it was even her own family and her friends. Her old school buds got the careers they searched for, loving every minute of college from the Greek Life, to the big basketball games, and even just driving around town with dorm roommates. Kimi kept in touch with Ben, not letting one thought of him pass by unnoticed. Call it what you like: madly in love, in love, crushing, all we know is that they're destined to be one family. As mentioned before, Lanie's family was turning a new leaf as well, but not in the way that some would think. They thought of her frequently, and the news stalked them periodically for any further details on Lanie's abduction, even when there was none. But they were revived with hope from Kimi's message, knowing that their daughter/sister is finally in safe hands and that she's refusing to come home. They knew she moved on, and there was no point in arguing. Mom asked Kimi that day when she returned from her trek if it was a man who stole her.

"It was. And it is also a man who she plans to stay with." Kimi didn't even try a smile.

"Is he the same one?" Mom wrung her hands in worry.

"I'm not sure. He looked exactly the same as her captor, but…maybe Lanie was the one who changed him."

"Tell me what he looks like!" Mom was thinking of chasing after her, desperate for more info on her daughter.

Kimi opened her car door, pausing, deep in thought. She looked up at Mom and blinked. Finally, she grinned.

"I can't."

"And why not, Kimi?!"

"Because you'll never believe me." Kimi beamed mysteriously, and then left Mom in total confusion and worry.

Still, the family wanted to move. The house was bringing too much memories of Lanie, and they finally had the last straw when they passed her room every day. The house was filled with cardboard boxes and duffel bags, waiting patiently for North American Van Lines. The Sheridan family wouldn't bother glancing in Lanie's room, too pained of her absence. Somehow, Lanie sensed their displeasure. They felt their cold shoulder. This caused her to want to separate further from her past, forget everything she had and cherished. Now, she faced towards the beacon that shone the way; her way. Well, more like black abyss if you think of it in a way. Anyway, all that signified to her was being by Pitch's side, and cherishing the visits Toothiana was so kind to do, and keeping her music and art talents at the tips of her fingers.

This day was different for the both of them. Well, for Pitch mostly. Lanie seemed to have lost track of the time. Since Pitch isn't really the modern sort and doesn't update the lair, the word 'calendar' seemed foreign. Yes, it was September 14th, three days before Lanie's seventeenth birthday. The very thought of her annual, personal holiday skipped her mind and entered Pitch's first. What was odd is that he was the one all excited about it, but being the Nightmare King, kept his emotions in check. He let Lanie sleep in early when he woke up from a quick rest, knowing that sleep was her best friend. He knew things she wished for gift-giving holidays, and he knew she still kept some of those desires. Some of them, he knew he couldn't get for her, so it made him understand her parents a little bit more. _Yes, there's no possible way for me to get her a puppy. Or even a lava lamp…whatever that is._

He was so befuddled on what to do for her; he ended up counting on his fingers the reasons why and why not to get that certain gift for her.

"Ugh! None of them seem good enough!" he finally threw up his hands in annoyed defeat.

"What's not good enough?"

Pitch whipped around at the sleepy eyed teenager, who looked like she just woke up a few seconds ago. She rubbed her eyes then looked up at Pitch, still blinking from waking up.

_Oh my, that's adorable. That is way too adorable. _

Her tank top hugged her chest, outlining her slight curves and her strong stomach. Her sweatpants were bunched up to her knees, showing off her slender legs. Her feet were small for a girl like her. Her expression was pouty, annoyed she wasn't given an answer.

"Well?" she yawned.

"Do you know how beautiful you look when you wake up?" he tried distracting her.

"That's not funny, Pitch. What were you talking to yourself about?" Lanie put her hands on her hips.

"Alright, um," he carefully ran his fingers through his hair, "I was thinking that…my nightmares aren't scary enough." the idea popped into his mind.

_Ironic. I told her to never lie to me and I just did._

Lanie looked interested. "Really? Well, ever considered maybe the nightmares aren't for them?"

"My dear, you better not be saying you're stopping me from-"

"No, I mean, all you need is a new …audience." An evil plot entered Lanie's mind as the cogs started to turn, making her grin and fiddle with her fingers. Pitch grinned when he watched her plot.

"Ooh, I like that look on you. Mind telling me the scheme?" Pitch drew nearer, completely attracted.

Lanie smiled up at him with an expression that meant _oh, you'll never know._ She started to walk away back upstairs, knowing Pitch was right on her heels.

"If you need enough fear, you've got to create the best nightmares for the people who fit them. It's like a puzzle piece game. Say, you find their deepest fear and-"

"I already to that, darling."

Lanie blushed and glared at him playfully. He smiled, and then waited for her to finish.

"All you need, Pitch, is creativity. This is where you may need my help." She folded her arms in dominance.

"Ah, I know what you're doing," he circled around her letting his fingers glide along her shoulders, "you want to accompany me on my duties, yes?" he leaned in close as she smirked back. She tapped his nose, making him lean away.

"Exactly. And you also need my help in finding the right targets."

That was the day Pitch saw the mischievously evil side of Lanie. He found out she could be ruthless, and he knew exactly who the chosen targets she wanted. If it were to make her happy close to her special day, he would do it. And scaring teenagers? Besides children, it was the next best thing; especially those rare moments when they'd witness him and end up caught by their parents while running away. The very thought of his plans for Lanie's birthday slipped his mind as they made their way to his room, eager to plot out what strategies they could do. In all of Lanie's excitement, Pitch knew that if she was to continue being down in the dark depths with him, he may as well let her accompany him on occasional nightmare liabilities.

As they waited in the dark alleys of her home, they watched the sun go down, a sneer spreading across their faces. The streetlights turned on, and cars pulled into driveways, ending their trips for the night. One by one, lights went out, making the streets darker and easier to move through for the pair. They vanished into a shadow of the alley and reentered into the living room of Lanie's old school enemy, Jonah. It boggled her how such a mean and hypocrite boy had a high status at her old school, and she finally was getting back at him for all those years. From the first day of second grade when he put gum in her hair, to when he pantsed her in third grade, when he pushed her down the stairs, called her a skank, shoved her into dog poo, and booked her every time she passed by, she finally was giving him his destined karma. Pitch wouldn't say it, but he was damn well proud of her for coming up with this idea. They crouched behind the bookshelves where it was dark, watching his parents go down the hall where their room lay. The old beagle that Jonah made bite her arm in freshman year at a Halloween party rolled over on its stomach, already deep in sleep.

"What about the dog?" Pitch whispered.

"Don't worry. The old thing's officially deaf. You can clap a pair of bricks near its ears and she won't notice a thing." Lanie smirked at him.

"You've done that?" he chuckled, watching for Jonah. He was busy stuffing raspberry ice cream into his fat face in the kitchen, "Ugh, he's disgusting."

"What're his fears?" Lanie ducked behind, and Pitch followed her down. She watched him focus.

"Hail. Rats. Something called Left 4 Dead, and…oh, my, "he chuckled, looking at Lanie, "he's also afraid of you."

"Good. Then this'll be worthy. Here's the plan. When we're in his dream, make me wear a bloody, tattered dress. I'll create a diversion as you make chainsaw noises, and then make hail fall down directly at him. Afterwards, when I attack him, make rats climb all over his body. For a bonus, see if you can make them chew his clothes. The goal is to-"

"Make him wake up screaming. Don't worry, darling, I'm a professional at this." He glanced over the bookshelf. Jonah was rubbing his bulbous stomach as he climbed the stairs to his room. After a few minutes, golden dream sand flew from the open window into his room, indicating he was fast asleep.

"He's asleep. Go, go!" Lanie ushered Pitch forward, and they crept up the stairs silently.

The upstairs floor of Jonah's house was messy and reeked of garbage. The school bully basically marked his territory, claiming his room, the bathroom, and the third T.V room up there. Lanie leaned in to peek into Jonah's room. He was sprawled on his bed, the lights out, and yellow sand of food and naked girls danced above his head.

"Ugh…" Lanie snarled, ducking back out. She pressed up against the wall as Pitch beckoned a nightmare steed upstairs.

"What?" he whispered.

"Just…don't look at the walls when you go in." Lanie murmured.

They entered the teenager's room, and the smell of Abercrombie cologne, onions and feet rammed into their faces. Lanie held her nose in disgust and Pitch almost gagged.

"This is the grossest kid I've ever met." Pitch glared at the lazy brute.

"Make it quick, Pitch. I wanna get the hell out of here." Lanie whimpered at the sight of stolen thongs on his dresser.

"Here's a fun fact, my dear: nightmares travel quicker than time itself. We'll be out of here within a few seconds." Pitch sneered as he flicked his finger against the sand, and it immediately turned black, "Let's have some fun."

They entered his dream. Lanie looked around her. The scenery was the school, of course. That dreaded place was his domain, his empire, and all the other people who hurt her were somehow allied to Jonah. Speaking of the devil, he was riding a floating carriage down the language wing, wearing a crown that looked like it was made out of videogame pixels. He had a huge gold platter of meat and candy, and he was gorging on it as if he was a starving child.

"Puh, how weak. This will be easy." Pitch chuckled as he dissolved into the lockers, neatly blending in.

"Cut the lights!" Lanie instructed.

Everything went black, and Jonah's carriage crushed underneath his weight. His crown broke into pieces as he rolled on the floor, picking up dirt on his shirt.

"Stupid, goddamn boat!" the fat male grumbled, standing up.

One yellowing light turned on among the dark hallway, showing Lanie rocking back and forth on the floor, sobbing. He didn't recognize her, but his heart sure did speed up. He was starting to get scared. Lanie wore ripped, grey clothes that were spattered in crimson blood and her feet and hands were bathed in the crimson liquid. Her hair was wet and draping over her face as she cried. _Good, Lanie. This will be good._ Pitch laughed in her mind. She started to sing a haunting song as beady eyed rats leaked out from the lockers.

Her singing was just a simple of sighs, something a sailor would hear from a mermaid, but also a lost child from a ghost. It was haunting, chilling the bones of Jonah. He slowly walked forward, secretly knowing he shouldn't.

Lanie gasped at his approach, then stared up at him wildly. With Pitch's help, her eyes gleamed a threateningly yellow, making Jonah shrink back. Lanie jumped up, ear-split screaming as she stood there. The rats squealed and charged at him, rabid whiteness dripping down their snouts. Jonah let out a girlish scream and ran in the other direction. Lanie disappeared in a shower of hail, and it darted in his direction.

"Do you know who I am?" Pitch bellowed, watching with glee as Jonah tripped on a running chainsaw.

"AUGH! WHAT THE FUCK?!" he screamed, kicking it against the flooding water fountain.

Once he turned around, he was met with a pair of slender legs. He looked up, and was met with the familiar face of Lanie. He knew it was her, but she looked terrifying. Her hair was longer and swirled around her as if she was underwater, and held a superior air as she stared him down in contempt. Her new dress was shin length in the front but floor length in the back, and was the shade of the deepest purple. She clicked her tongue at his crude words as he shrunk back, gravity preventing him to get up.

"And you thought I would never get you back." Pitch's fearlings wrapped around his ankle, then lifted him in the air, "THIS is for fifth grade!" her eyes gleamed angrily as the sound of chainsaws rang in his ears.

"AND THIS is for middle school!" the fearlings threw him into the rat swarm, and they instantly covered him. They ate at his shirt and biker gloves, nipping hurriedly at his skin. He let out another unmanly yell.

"And this…" she added sweetly, "is for the last school year of my life." She grinned, shadows turning her face to look malicious. She punched him right in the face, making him wake up from his nightmare.

"WHAT THE-?!" he yelled, wiping sweat from his face. Just then, his eyes landed on two figures in his dark room. One was tall and lithe; the other was slight and a few inches shorter than the other. Only their eyes were seen in the dark, and they never blinked. Finally, Pitch emerged from the dark into the glow of Jonah's nightlight. He sneered at his frightened face.

"Boo." He flashed his hands at him.

Jonah screamed, and then flew out of his room, making a dash for his parent's room. Pitch snickered at the sight of the eighteen year old, hearing him babble to his parents. Just as they came rushing up the stairs, Pitch scooped up a laughing Lanie and melted into the darkness.

That night, they visited every single enemy Lanie had in the past. The town of Jay was practically echoing of screams of fright, and lights turned on everywhere in the town. From giving nightmares of spider webs and hanging bodies, to zombie massacres, to falling into a pit of fire, more and more teenagers believed in the Boogeyman. And by that quickly traveling time, Boogeyman himself was growing completely fond of Lanie's company. Her ideas were superb, and he was sincerely grateful for all this destruction she caused in his name. Once they finished up a quick nightmare of dark woods, earthquakes and flood warnings, they made a dash into the shadows of a girl's closet which led them back to Pitch's lair. They were still laughing by the time they collapsed onto the ground.

"That was so much fun!" Lanie giggled, sitting up.

"Now you see why I enjoy this?" Pitch beamed at her. Lanie nodded excitedly, still holding back laughter, "You know, Lanie, I didn't know you had a dark side like that. It was a pleasure seeing that." Pitch watched her.

"Ha, well, that was basically pent up anger I had over them. Seeing me so revengeful is a rarity. Off that topic, I should reward you for letting me do those things!" Lanie smiled as Pitch helped her up.

Lanie was brought up on her feet so quickly; she was almost nose to nose with the Boogeyman. Their laughs and smiles subsided as they stared into each other's eyes. Pitch still held her hand during this bittersweet moment. Their breaths caught in the air, and they eyed each other's lips slyly.

"Pitch?" Lanie whispered.

"Yes…" his hand weaved to her back.

"I love you."

Pitch felt his eyes widen, even though they should've been closed as they kissed. _She said it…she actually said it._ The man himself never thought he'd hear those words directed at him, right to his face. His eyelids drooped shut as they kissed, and he wrapped his arms around her waist tenderly. The way she pressed up against him or how her tongue tasted like honey made him ache for her beyond what he did before. Self-control was harder to reach at that moment, but he was able to break the kiss.

"Lanie, there's something I have to tell you." He looked into her green eyes, his hand still cradling her head.

She slightly nodded, showing him she was paying attention.

"I…kind of lied before. I was actually thinking nothing was good enough for me to get you on your birthday." He looked down, but Lanie put her finger on his chin. When he stared at her, she was almost cracking up.

"I actually forgot about that. You don't have to get me anything, Pitch."

"Oh, please," he released her and walked a bit away, "that's absurd. At least make it one thing. Just one." He looked at her, peeved at her kindness.

"Alright. There's been one thing I've been wanting for a while." She watched him achingly.

"Then tell me before you get old." He grinned as she glared at him.

"Well…remember how you said I was to stay with you forever?" Lanie became serious.

Pitch paused walking, then faced Lanie. _I hope she's not thinking…that._ She looked sheepish, as if she were asking for a large amount of cash. She wouldn't look at him in the eye like she bravely did before.

"I want to be immortal like you." She finally looked up.

Pitch scoffed, hoping that little chuckle would relieve him on pressured stress. _Is she serious?! She doesn't even know…how that could happen!_ He rubbed his hands together, a habit that he hated having. Lanie just watched him curiously. _What's he so worked up about? I don't see a problem with what I asked._ He paced the floor, looking flustered and having that weird pink blush again.

"Y-you sure you don't want a book or something? Candy? A new dress? I can get you those things." He tried convincing her. A dark horse snorted angrily near him and tried nipping his hand, but Pitch crossly slapped it away. "I'm not scared, you stupid filly! I'm just embarrassed." He growled at the horse as it shook its head.

"Pitch, what's wrong with you?" Lanie sighed, greatly irritated.

He bit his lip, and then crossed over to Lanie again. He put his hands on her shoulders and stared into her troubled eyes. _Just tell her, damn it. Do it, Kozmotis._

"Do you know what you have to do in order to become immortal?" he said a little too strongly.

"N-no?"

He wimped out. He drew back, his pink blush turning red. He grumbled angrily at his sudden weakness, and then his quick blush finally left. After mentally shouting at himself to buck up, he turned to Lanie.

"You have to, well, do that certain event that…"

"That what?" Lanie felt her eyes widen. Maybe Pitch wasn't telling her out of modesty.

"Well….married couples do it?"

"OH GOD, PITCH!" Lanie covered her mouth and shut her eyes in embarrassment. _Seriously?! The only way to become immortal is if I sleep with him?! God, can life get any worse?!_

"I told you, you should've reconsidered!" Pitch chuckled at her face, "Although, it isn't that bad once you think about it." He playfully whispered behind her back.

"Oh, shut up. That's never going to happen." Lanie tried swatting him away, but he ducked the attack, "but…it's still a birthday wish…" she mumbled as Pitch walked away.

He heard her. He turned back to look at her, wanting to say something. Something like, _and it may come true _or _mine as well_ or even _we'll see._ But this is the Boogeyman, known to express no feelings at all. He had to act strong, even against the weakness of all men's survival. Besides, a thought just occurred to him when he resumed climbing the stairs. What if the Guardians got a hold of her, somehow capturing her and taking her from his grasp? The things they would get out of her…information. If he doesn't want them finding out of his love for Lanie, then he probably shouldn't freely tell her 'I love you' or 'Stay with me' or 'You make me whole.' _Or maybe I can just trust her. She's given me proof I can, and she also keeps to her word that she's staying right here. _His mind raced with thoughts as he entered his room. His hand touched the fireplace, its cold stone making him shiver, but also relax from the heat of the eternal fire. _Just like her. She hid from me at first, but the fire grew inside her…I hate comparisons. _He briskly walked away, trying to grasp what he was thinking of mainly. _Does she truly want to be immortal? I can't imagine her going through the 'what ifs'. She's human. Anything can happen._

"In the form of…swaddled clothes and…ugh, diapers." He shuddered at the thought. Not that he didn't mind one bit; he was a father once and he could do it again, especially with her. But the certain WAY to have it was both risky and…well, that was just his experience. For all he knew, and from spying her from underneath her bed when she still lived with her family, she was still…pure. If he were to agree to make that birthday wish come true, he would feel two things: honor and hatred. He'd feel honored for being the one to break her, to be the first one to hold her that close. But he would also feel hate. Not to Lanie, but to himself. The thought of hurting her in the process of something so bittersweet and warm seemed like a curse. It made him wish someone else did first, but he didn't. There's no ending to this immense thinking. If he does end up in bed with her, his mind would be at peace for a few hours or even the whole night. But afterwards? The what-ifs would be raging a war in his head. What if she was to conceive is the biggest question. _She better not blame me for that one, I'm not the female one._

He collapsed onto the chaise couch, completely exhausted. His head hit the pillowed arm as his neck grew limp, suffering from his fatigue.

"Who knew love could be so stressful. Damn you, Cupid." Pitch felt his eyes closing, ready to accept his long awaited sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**To Deathstroke Terminator: thanks for making my day. To coughmaddycough: Heheeheh...virus. Thanks for the reviews, guys and girls! ^_^ This is making me feel more confident in my writing skills, all these favorites, followers and reviews. I started writing stories when I was in third grade, so it really is a pleasure seeing so many people appreciate my progress and strength in this hobby. I love you all.**

**Pitch:...Don't you even dare cry.**

**Me: I'm not! I'm just happy! .**

**Pitch: You're crying.**

**Me: It's called happy tears, Boogey-Wonderman. And now, INTRO!**

Lanie didn't talk to him much for the next day, at least not the morning. He left quickly, probably the conversation they had yesterday was still on his mind. _I don't blame him, but why do I not feel embarrassed? I feel like most of the pressure is on me._ Lanie waited patiently in the main chamber of the lair, awaiting the return of her Nightmare King. As she dropped her head into her open palm as she sat on a stone, she felt a tickle near her shoulder. She slowly looked over, and noticed something she'd never thought she'd see. Her hair was long. Over time, it grew, and the strange thing is that neither Pitch nor Lanie noticed. Usually when a girl's hair would get longer, the color would get duller. But hers shone and held a brilliant chocolate color. Her hair struck her with an idea.

"Maybe if he sees how much I changed, he'll accept me so I can be immortal! He'd only want a girl he's used to." She excitedly stood up, thrilled at her idea.

She dashed up the stairs, eager to whip open her wardrobe and see what dresses looked Pitch-y. As she did, a thought occurred: _They all do._ All of them were black; sand colored, and had at least one tiny hint of color.

"Let's see…" she rummaged around, thinking deeply on how he would see her differently. _He said he was from the Dark Ages, so dresses of something historical seem right. Not too skin showing. Elegant, definitely. I have to look like I'm superior like him._

Those thoughts led her to a dress somewhat close to a prom dress. It had a princess skirt, a scoop neck, and long sleeves that hugged her arms to her elbows. It was just a midnight black, but if she turned a bit, a little bit of gold shimmered off it. Her slippers were black as well-_there is way too much black here_-set with one shining gold stone.

Jolting her out of her concentration, she heard a few sandy neighs and rough footsteps.

"Lanie? I need to speak with you." Pitch called from the main chamber.

"Coming!" Lanie looked uncertainly in the mirror. Within a few seconds, her hair was weaved into a medium length braid, and only a yellow ribbon held its form.

She made her way down the stairs, hoping to captivate his attention, but she didn't gain it. He was occupying himself by calming down his horses, which excitedly trotted in place and nudged him playfully, somewhat apologetic for their previous danger they caused their Master to go through. _That's funny. It worked last time. _She thought as she drew closer.

When he turned, he did lose his breath for a minute just by looking at her. She thought the dress would be the big hint she's willing to accept him, but he was distracted with her face. He didn't bother looking down at the dress. Her smooth neck, her perfect cheekbones, her small chin, and her big green eyes entranced him. Sure, he noticed her hair was quickly put up in a hurry and unbrushed, but that didn't falter her beauty. Slowly, carefully, his hand drew away from his side and traced her cheek. He could hear her breath catch in her throat, and he struggled against a smirk. His hand touched the dangling part of her yellow ribbon, and he softly tugged at it. Her braid collapsed to her shoulders, back to wavy length like it was before. He couldn't stop himself. There was no point in trying. His hand caressed her hair, soft and silky to his touch. He felt Lanie's eyes on him. He knew she was probably thinking why he was acting like this. By that second, he knew what she was doing. She wanted to feel accepted from him. She was blaming herself for not being like him. She thinks it's her fault he's unwilling to go to certain lengths for her. She didn't like being doted on. She wanted to satisfy him, but when thinking logically, she can't. Love can never be satisfied. You've got to keep it burning if you want to preserve it. No matter if they went the farthest to try and quench their aching for each other, it wouldn't satisfy them.

"I know what you're doing." He grinned at her guilty face.

"Darn." She looked away, but Pitch caught her lips with his, catching her off guard. Lanie could feel her heart sigh with relief and serenity. Before it could get too steamy, he pulled away. Lanie made a pouty face, making him chuckle.

"Come. Let's find you a hairbrush, because your hair is a living nightmare." He smiled at his joke, and even Lanie laughed a little, not one bit bothered by the slight diss.

They entered her room, but Pitch didn't let go of her hand. _I don't mind. His hand's surprisingly warm._ Pitch pulled out a brush with an ivory handle, and then beckoned Lanie to sit on the bed. She raised an eyebrow, confused. _What's he doing?_

She sat down on her bed, scooting a bit further back so she wouldn't fall off. Pitch sat beside her, and then forcibly turned her back towards him. _Wait, he's going to brush my hair? _

"I can do it myself." She held her hand back, awaiting the feel of the smooth brush to be placed in her palm.

"You'll tire your arms out." He grinned at his excuse.

Lanie thought for a minute, and then thanked her lucky stars Pitch didn't see her smile. She lowered her hand to her lap, "Alright."

His hand was steady and swift as he brushed her hair, making Lanie relax instantly. Feeling the brush comb out her hair to make it shine and silkier felt like heaven. Sure, it didn't seem like a thing Pitch would do, but no one would've guessed he fell in love, either. Before Lanie knew it, it was all over. She knew it was done when he bumped her on the head with the back of the brush.

"Stop zoning out. It's weird." He sneered as she rubbed her head.

"Ow. Why'd you stop?" she swiveled around on her behind to face him. He snickered, and then tossed the brush back into the chest.

"Do you want your hair growing any longer? I'm pretty sure you don't want to be a Rapunzel." He stood up from the bed and started strolling around, waiting for the best part of his trickery.

_What?!_ Lanie's heart skipped a beat at that comment. When she touched her hair, her hands continued down…and down…and down…

"PITCH! MY HAIR'S LONG!" Lanie flipped out.

"I'm pretty sure all of your hair is long, not just one." He winked.

Lanie was certainly not angry, just rather shocked. More likely startled at the thought of her hair now reaching midway to her back. She held a part of her hair in her hand, aweing at the thought of a magical brush having the ability to make hair longer. She felt herself swell with excitement at the new discovery. Being human, she was taught not to believe in magic, that it was all a trick of the mind. Even if she partly believed in it back then, she never expected it to jump out at her any second. She leaped from the bed and dashed to the chest, snatching the brush from the bottom of the chest. She beamed at Pitch, who looked a little strangely at her. She held the brush out,

"I wanna see your hair!" she laughed, and with that, charged towards him.

"No, no, no! Back off! My hair, my decisions!" his eyes widened as he ducked a large swing of the brush.

It was like a game of tag, and whoever the loser was had the longest hair. Pitch was chased by Lanie all over the lair, some of the nightmares rearing up and acting out at Pitch's fear of getting floor length hair. He ducked into a dark shadow, but Lanie somehow knew where he was headed. She crept behind the stairs, and just as he entered, she jumped out. "BOO!" she yelled. Pitch jumped, and then took off across the chamber towards Lanie's recreation room.

"Keep that away from me, Lanie!" he shouted behind his shoulder towards her.

When he saw how close she was on his heels, he dashed into another shadow. _How is she able to run that fast in that dress?!_ He tried catching his breath as he hid there, not moving. He heard Lanie sing, "I'm waiting! And I'm also right here." That made him instantly duck into another dark crevice, making him enter Lanie's rec room. Lanie just burst through the doors when he started running again, an idea hatching in that clever mind of his. A smile grew on his face, entertained by Lanie's fast running and the feeling of barely escaping something so useless. _This is ridiculous. I'm being chased by a girl holding a brush._ He turned around on the spot just as she came close. Just as she reached for his head, he jumped over a pile of pillows and into the center of the room. Lanie followed suit, still full of giggles. Pitch smirked at her wild actions. Just as her hand reached his head once again, he caught her arm swiftly, pushing against her strength.

"Aw, come on! I just want to make your hair like Fabio's." Lanie smiled at her own joke.

"You do know I'm stronger than you, yes?" he laughed.

"Ha! Your arms are practically bones!" she squeezed his other arm with her free hand.

That got her right into his trap. With a skillful move, the brush was skittering across the floor, disappearing into the darkness. She struggled against his grip, but he enveloped her with his arms, embracing her.

"Gotcha." He murmured, smiling at her pouty face, "I have to say, you had a crazed look on. It was quite entertaining."

"Pfft. I probably looked like I had too much coffee." She laughed at herself, allowing herself to lean closer to Pitch's chest.

"That, too." He smiled down at her as he stroked her hair.

It was a tender moment as they embraced in the middle of the room, their minds questioning each other without any acknowledgement of certain gifts in the back of the room. During that passing time of July, August and September, Tooth kept her word. She visited Lanie whenever her hands were free or wanted to be relieved from certain stress, and by that passing time and meetings, they formed a strong friendship. It's as if Tooth has always been Lanie's best friend, and they've reached that point where they shared secrets and gossiped on the latest juicy news. Of course, for Lanie, nothing seemed quite worth to talk about, but she was more than happy listening to the talkative fairy. Good thing Lanie knew how to listen; otherwise, being friends with many chatty people would be a bust. Tooth knew when her birthday was, and it was only two days away. She also knew what Lanie loved, judging from her baby teeth memories. While she and Pitch were out, Tooth and Baby Tooth snuck in, and neatly organized the gifts close to a pile of lighted gemstones. Although they weren't wrapped, they still were gifts meant for Lanie. And Pitch was the first one to see them.

He lifted up his head to just gaze around the room, but was immediately met with the gifts. At first, he was confused. _I don't remember ever getting that much for Lanie._ But then his sharp eyes saw the note next to the pile of sketchbooks:

To Lanie,

Happy Birthday!

From, Tooth

P.S. Keep those teeth in good shape no matter how much candy you eat!

Pitch immediately went into hate mode. He had no respect for the Guardians. None. He looked at them like they were pests in his way of reaching his goals. He was willing enough to allow Tooth to visit Lanie, because he knew his 'prisoned lover' was getting lonely and needed companionship. But leaving things with her essence still on it? Tooth touched them, and that made him hate the gifts immediately. The mere thought the nosy pixie would poke a feather in and just assume she can wander into his domain made him itch. Lanie felt him tense up and looked up at his face.

"What's wrong?" Lanie felt coldness as his arms fell from around her waist. _He dislikes something._

"What…is…_that_?" he hissed, pointing to the small pile of gifts.

Lanie's reaction was very different from Pitch's, of course. She appreciated Tooth, and was so happy with their newfound friendship. Getting presents? Even teenagers and adults would agree along with kids that they're the best. Giving and getting? No wonder people love Christmas. She squealed gleefully and jumped up and down. She dashed over to the pile to look at everything that Tooth got her. _Tooth was smart! All these things will keep me occupied here!_ Lanie cheered at her gifts. Pitch watched her disapprovingly, not liking how she saw the Guardians differently than he did. _Doesn't she understand that the Guardians are the one at fault for my fall? How does she not understand my pain and their bogus Children Paradise?_ He unwillingly walked over to see what she got, thinking ways to maybe 'accidentally' lose them.

Lanie was thrilled at her prizes. She got a couple of sketchbooks, a huge amount of watercolor paints and colored pencils, and a book on guitar tabs, and a diary. It had an easy magnet clip for security, and looked like an old fashioned leather book. Lanie held it close as she looked into a light purple bag. Inside were multiple types of candy, including mints, bubble gum, circus peanuts, chocolate kisses and candy corn. Of course, being the Tooth Fairy, she included a sparkly toothbrush and a mega sized tube of toothpaste that made Lanie laugh.

"This is disgusting." Pitch muttered, watching her pop a candy corn in her mouth.

She looked up with gleaming eyes full of joy, hoping for a positive reaction from her Nightmare King. She frowned when he saw him glaring hatefully at her presents. Then she got an idea.

"Want to try a circus peanut?" she asked, holding one out for him.

He made a face, already not liking it due to the bright orange color. The only candy he was willing to try was the one he mentioned a long time ago: Almond Joys. Though, he didn't like to admit he preferred them. He wanted nothing to do with people's things in life, and he knew many parents liked Almond Joys along with him. He was not proud of it.

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad. Just one try?" Lanie threw the peanut at him.

"Ugh! It even feels gross!" he held the peanut away from his face.

But once he saw the disapproving look on Lanie's face, he grimaced in weakness. He would do anything for her, but _this?!_ With a disgusted face and a breath of air, he took one bite, biting it perfectly in half.

Before Lanie knew it, he spit it out of his mouth, disgust written all over his face.

"For the love of God, that tasted repulsive!" Pitch exclaimed, and he shuddered at the aftertaste.

Lanie almost fell back in laughter, enjoying the look on the Boogeyman. Pitch allowed a smirk to play on his mouth, glad he was the one finally making her laugh. He had to agree, her laugh was a nice one to hear. For once in his life, he was glad he amused someone else besides him.


	15. Chapter 15

**I so sorries! . I know its kinda late, but we're getting really close to where I left off. Hopefully this weekend I catch up the pace. To BVBlover4ever: LOL! I know a lot of people later in time will love reading that review as much as I did! To Mystichawk: UH OH DO I HEAR THE SOUND OF LOVEY-DOVEY FOOTSTEPS?! ;D Yes, theres a lot in here. So skip ahead if you need to. To coughmaddycough: Yes, Pitch IS fifty shades of grey. ;)**

**Pitch: THAT'S DISGUSTING!**

**Me: You haven't even read the book, have you?**

**Pitch: No, but Tooth did. She said it was the most disgusting thing she ever read in her life.**

**Me: Two questions, one, how did she not know what it was about, and two, why were you talking to her if you hate her?**

**Pitch: She thought it was a book about learning colors. And she didnt say it to me, I eavesdropped.**

**Me: Of course you did. -_- Anywho! Let's start the story.**

They celebrated Lanie's birthday when the day arrived. Although there was a huge gap where the form of her friends and family usually filled, she knew Pitch was trying his hardest. Though she didn't get her wish to become immortal, she did receive a gift from Pitch, something that meant a lot to her. It mostly meant a lot to her because it was from him, but also because it was the coolest thing a teenager could hold.

A sword.

It was made of silver, and was so sharp, Lanie could slowly swirl it around in the air, and a low ringing could vaguely be heard. The ringing was like the sound of a finger circling a glass wine cup. The handle was easy to grip, and it was coated in black leather to prevent slipping. At the base of the sword, there were three gemstones, two black and one gold. Along with the sword came practice on how to wield one. Lanie has used a staff before, like those modern collapsible ones, but this was entirely different. She learned that it was harder than it looked in the movies, and she always had to be on her guard while fighting. Pitch could easily create a weapon out of his manipulative sand, and at first he went easy on her. But when he discovered her true potential and strength along with the blade, he knew he had to challenge her.

"Why are you so keen on teaching me this?" she asked him breathlessly.

"If you're going to be by my side, you'll need to learn to protect yourself. Not only yourself, but others as well. Every individual should learn that." Pitch replied knowingly.

They had that conversation a month after her birthday. October. And as that time passed again, Pitch witnessed change in her as well. It wasn't a negative change, but something he would smile upon. She grew tougher, became nimbler and light on her feet, warmed up to the nightmares, and their bond grew stronger as each day passed.

Now it was November, and Pitch's worst month was up next. He hated December the most. One: That's literally Jack Frost's holy month. Two: North was more powerful than him with the kids' beliefs. And three: the holiday spirit always weakens his nightmares. Meaning, the good feelings families have and the warm fires, safety and lovely cheer makes Sandy and North stronger, making it impossibly hard for Pitch to make new mares. And sometimes, the Frosty devil would decide to be a pain in his neck by giving early snow days or a blizzard that lasts a full week. The following four months are always the worst for poor Pitch.

Lanie must've known it was vacation at her school, because she slept in until noon. Once the sun hit directly on the furthest cages, Pitch knew it was noontime.

_Where the hell is she?!_ He grit his teeth in irritation, _if she doesn't come out of her room within five seconds, I'm going to wake her up._

"One…" he whispered to himself, turning towards the stairs.

"Two…" he started climbing the stairs.

"Three…" he turned the corner.

"Four…" he stopped in front of Lanie's door.

"Damn it, five." He swiftly opened the door, surprised it didn't fall off its hinges at the sudden but silent force.

Lanie was out cold on her bed, golden sand floating above her head. As Pitch drew nearer, he saw she was dreaming of riding horses. The miniature-sand-Lanie rode a horse that looked a lot like his nightmares, and she waved a sword above her head like a warrior queen. The horse reared, and miniscule wisps, kind of like golden fearlings, scurried through the horse's legs. Then they continued their charge at whatever he couldn't see.

"Poppycock." He rolled his eyes. Instead of infecting it with a nightmare, he brushed the sand images away, making the mini Lanie burst into sand fireworks. The sand quickly disappeared, but Lanie still slept on. She moaned once the dream was gone, but then started lucid dreaming.

"No, no, no! Wake up!" Pitch moved her hair out of her face, flicking her forehead.

She growled at him in her sleep, and then rolled over, completely dissing him. This sleepy language of the average teenager, if translated, had two meanings: 'just five more minutes' or 'fuck off.'

"Did you just growl at me?!" Pitch hissed, getting up on her bed, "you've slept half the day away! Get up!"

Lanie groaned again, and then slapped his arm from behind. "Go away, I'm sleeping." She grumbled.

"You did not just hit me. Fine, I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice." Pitch snickered at his upcoming trick.

With one deep breath, he hollered, "FIRE!"

Lanie knew he was trying to get her up. The suddenness scared the life out of her, and it angered her she wasn't sleeping longer. She sat up, and struck Pitch with her pillow, sending him off the bed with an 'oomph!' tailbone first.

She snickered wickedly as she crawled over the side of the bed, prepared to see the damage she's done. She smiled as Pitch glared up at her, the pillow now on his lap. He landed on his rear, and some parts of his hair were sticking out at odd angles. He snarled, baring his teeth like a wolf. Lanie made a face, still gloating.

"Lesson learned: never wake up a teenager." She sang, wagging her finger.

The next thing Pitch did scared her. As always, he was full of surprises, and his surprises were never something to get excited about, especially with a lustful look on his face. A dark, seductive look crossed over the Nightmare King's eyes, making Lanie's blood boil. Her purity was chanting in her mind, _oh God, get off the bed, get off the bed, and get off the bed._ Pitch must've seen a trace of Lanie's fear, and dove into it. He sneered, immediately knowing she was afraid of his look he was giving her. _Damn right, you better be afraid._

Lanie tried scrambling off the bed, but Pitch was on top of her before she could get off. He pinned her wrists above her head. He knew he was scaring her, and he liked it. She tried acting tougher than him, but he knew he would always prevail. Even Lanie knew that herself.

"Here's a little lesson for you: don't get on my bad side." He murmured, watching her eyes widen, now fully awake.

She tried moving, but her hands were restrained above her head. "Pitch, don't." she tried keeping her cool.

"And why not? I know you want it." He lightly kissed her jaw, barely touching her skin. He knew it would make her shudder.

"That's for sleeping halfway through the day." He looked up at her, enjoying her reddening cheeks.

"Pitch…no…" she tried choking out, but gasped when she felt his lips pressing against the sensitive part of her neck.

"This is for hitting me with your pillow." His hands slowly left hers and trailed down her arms, making her shiver, and then wound to her sides, fingering the edge of her shirt.

"Augh…" Lanie squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fight back the good feelings she was getting. She shouldn't be feeling this pleasure. She knew time passed since they first kissed, and yes, she did want all of him. But not now. He was only doing this just to freak her out. She wanted to keep her innocence until she was married, just like she planned when she was thirteen. Even now, she still wanted to keep that promise to her mother, to herself, and to God. But the soft tingle of his fingers caressing her stomach and his kisses on her neck was making it hard to keep it. She had to act strong. The sensation of his cool skin against hers was unbearably enjoyable.

"And this…" he leaned close to her face, her eyes already closed. He paused, watching her blushing face, "is because I love you." And he kissed her on her lips, slowly and lightly.

_To heck with this promise, he's mine now!_ Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as their lips danced. Hearing those three simple words were amazing, and she was yearning to hear that. But from the Boogeyman? It obviously says he darn well means it.

Meanwhile, the world above them started to have a snowfall. The little snowflakes twirled to the ground, and soon, the flakes grew huge. The wind picked up, making power lines sway in the breeze and hats fly off pedestrian's heads. It grew ten times as cold as it was before, making kids have an early release and the adults head home early. Snow stuck to tires as cars and buses drove on the pavements, and the children returning home were happily sticking their tongues out in the air to catch the small snowflakes.

Yep. Jack Frost was at his work.

He hopped from building rooftop to building rooftop, spreading his wintry glee right behind him. He gripped his staff as he swung around a light post, creating swirls of frost in intricate designs. He paused, a successful smile on his face. He took a deep breath, relishing the cool feeling of the cold wind. His white hair fluttered in the wind as a giant sand truck drove past him, sand pebbles darting here and there. Jack narrowly missed the burning stones and then flew to the air again.

"Whoop, whoop!" he cheered, spinning in the air, "Hey, Wind!" he suspended in the air for a minute, "Take me home!" he grinned as he was whisked back to Burgess within a flash.

The town of Burgess was also having a snowfall, but not as hard as where he was before. Jamie's school was having their daily recess, and the elementary kids were skipping around in the cold air, catching snow in their bare hands and chasing each other with handfuls of snow. Just as Jack soared above them, Jamie and his friends looked up in time to see him zip by. They waved happily, and Jack smiled back. Pippa, the oldest of the bunch, cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed, "Thanks, Jack!"

"No problem!" Jack hollered above the wind, and then sailed off towards the center of Burgess.

After recovering his memories, Jack remembered where his home used to be, and it was right in the center of town. This seemed like the town of fate to him. Burgess was where he was born, where he died, where he became Jack Frost, and where he fought the Boogeyman along with the Guardians. No wonder he loved his home. It was a home of promise and victory. He hasn't seen one single nightmare wander out since Pitch was attacked by his own army. He knew Sandy must've seen them occasionally, but not enough to worry about. He stopped at the spire of a church, and sat on the edge, letting his leg dangle off the side as he hugged his other one. He should've known that even if he was a Guardian, he'd still have his freedom.

He stroked his staff, watching frost coat the outside harmlessly. Although he seemed free and unstressed, the last Guardian meeting was on his mind. He knew a long time has passed-about six months-since they found out Pitch kidnapped a girl. _Really, the dude is lame._ He rolled his eyes, leaning back against the spire. _What's so important about a human girl? Not that they're bad, but it seems unreasonable._ The last meeting was somewhere in October, and Tooth was gushing about her new friendship with Lanie.

"She prefers to be called Lanie, and I bet it's because it's shorter! I mean, come on, Nalanie is kind of a mouthful. Just like teeth!" she squealed, "AND she's so nice to Baby Tooth!"

"That's great, Tooth. But does Pitch know you visit her?" Bunny asked. A hint of concern was hidden in his Australian voice.

Tooth paused, thinking deeply. "Um…maybe? I dunno. I never really see him there much. He's always gone when I drop by."

"That's not good." Jack muttered, frowning.

The other four Guardians turned to look at him in confusion. North raised his eyebrow, and then gestured for him to continue.

"Well, think about it. If he's gone all the time with her stuck in there, it only means one thing: he's using her." Jack said seriously.

"You know, for being a wankah, that's actual smart thinking." Bunny seemed surprised.

"What did you just call me?" Jack clenched his jaw, moving a fist in aim.

"Are you sure? She seems to love him." Tooth bit her finger, bringing back that bad habit.

Jack scoffed, "Love? Please, that's demented. No living being would love, let alone like, a freak like him. Think about it. He destroys the hopes and dreams of kids, he tried ruining Christmas and Easter, he almost made the children of the world stop believing in us, and he's a creepy stalker."

"Again, he has a point." Bunny nodded.

"You only point out the bad parts. Maybe Lanie sees something in him that he hides from us?" she tried giving the idea.

"TOOTH!" the three male vocal guardians shouted.

"What?! It's just a theory!" she huffed, her feathers fluffing in irritation.

North grumbled as he rubbed his forehead. "Look," he held up his hand so he could speak, "I'm starting to side with Tooth on this. Lanie needs to get out of there."

Sandman bit his lip as the other spirits argued, looking everywhere but them. He knew something they didn't. Would they believe him if he told them that Pitch asked him-in person-if he could have one chance to be in a dream with a human girl Sandy didn't even know? Sure, he was concerned for a minute, and even though Pitch started yelling at him, the Boogeyman made it clear he moved on, and he needed something important in his eternal life if he was to move on from what he did. So cautiously, Sandy allowed Pitch to be in Lanie's dream. After a couple of months, Sandy decided to witness what Pitch was like in her dream. Yep, it shocked him, and then pleased him greatly. He was the only one who saw the love sparkle in his eyes as he watched Lanie laugh, how he smiled innocently when they danced through dream sand.

How is he going to put that all into sand images?

"Then it's settled. I'm going, then?" Jack's voice shook Sandy out of his thinking. The little man looked at the others in confusion, wondering what they discussed.

"Yep. Tooth? You stay here this time, and let Jack try and coax Lanie out of Pitch's lair. He's closer to her age." North directed.

"And more attractive than Pitch!" she nodded energetically.

The guardians gave her a weird look.

"Uh. I mean, uh, to a visual point…um, not that I would know." She nervously blushed as she stammered.

Jack grinned at the memory. He knew Tooth liked him. She wasn't good at hiding it, and neither were her mini fairies. He rather liked the attention. It made him feel special. But there's no way he's actually going to commit to a relationship. Being a Guardian is enough commitments for him.

He was on his way to the forest where his lair is, and he had to make sure Pitch isn't there. It'd be a hilarious moment if he saw Pitch's startled face when he found the lair missing the girl he loves.

"He's only using her to gain back his power." He spat at the thought of the evil man, "Poor girl. She got cheated out of life."

As he flew in the direction of Blackbird Forest, he knew it would be hard finding a safe place once he had Lanie at Santoff Claussen. She can't go home, because she's no longer mortal. She can't be a spirit because she isn't immortal, and there's no way any of the Guardians will change that-not that he knew how. She would have to live like a ghost.

Such a sad way to live a life.

**It's very rushed, I know. Again, sorry. Hopefully this will satisfy y'all! ^_^**


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm really sorry its been so long. I bet you guys were dying. I have major tests going on, and they've been wearing me out. I'll try to get back on my feet and see if this baby could get at least more reviews. Thanks to those who stuck around no matter how long this took! Love you all! :)**

It didn't go far, thank God. He was just teasing her. Lanie knew that, but for a minute, it seemed like they would actually do it. So when it ended and Pitch left the room, somewhat laughing, Lanie couldn't help but feel disappointed. Pitch sensed she was, and once she joined him downstairs to watch him work on his nightmare army, he chuckled at her current expression.

She was a blushing mess, thoughtfully nibbling on her bottom lip and somewhat giggling.

"You look like you're drunk." He snickered, ignoring the whinnies of his mares.

"Shut up, it's all your fault." She blushed, looking away.

"Who's fault?" an annoying voice asked.

"Oh, God, no." Pitch growled, looking up towards the cages.

There he was, lazily sitting on the edge of a cage. His cold stare towards the Nightmare King sent chills down Lanie's back. She guessed he was close to her age, maybe even a little older. His hair was blinding white, and his skin was pallid as well. He wore a cool smirk along with his ripped brown pants and navy blue sweatshirt. He had no shoes on. Usually, maybe the staff he carried would make someone say something, but it was the fact that he was shoe-less that made Lanie snap.

"Jesus, boy, do you know how cold it is?" Lanie called up towards the teenager.

"Lanie! Watch your mouth!" Pitch snapped.

The white haired kid laughed, and then jumped from his perch to the ground. He flipped his head, making his hair sweep out of his eyes. Lanie almost lost her breath. He really did have good eyes. They were a mesmerizing blue. Although he had incredible good looks, something inside her told her he was bad news. The air almost seemed to tell her that as well. It got colder as he drew closer and even Pitch started moving in front of Lanie, like a protective shield. The boy stopped when Pitch stood in front of Lanie, his arm out as a fence.

"Move, Pitch, she's coming with me." The boy's face darkened as a warning.

"Uh, _no_ I am _not._" Lanie snapped, "Who died and made you king?"

Pitch chuckled at her quick temper, enjoying seeing Jack's startled face. When has Jack ever met a girl that would talk to him like that? One; that was very rude. Two; does she know she's in danger? Jack furrowed his eyebrows, giving Pitch and Lanie a hard look.

"Pitch, what have you done to her?" Jack grit his teeth.

"Nothing! All I did was simply take what was mine. You would never understand real men's desires." Pitch replied coolly.

Lanie stood on her tip toes to reach Pitch's ear, "Is that Jack Frost?" she whispered.

"I can hear you, woman!" Jack impatiently stamped his foot.

Pitch looked at Jack, then at Lanie. The expression on his face sent Lanie backwards in laughter. Pitch smirked, and then glanced back at Jack with a hubris look written in his eyes. Lanie finished giggling, holding her stomach, before calming down.

"_You're _Jack Frost? I have to say, I like you better than what they picture you in the books." Lanie smiled.

Pitch rolled his eyes, annoyed. _I like you…she did not just say that. _Pitch gave Lanie a hard look, who only returned a giant smile. He succeeded in fighting against another smirk. He knew why Jack was here, and he promised himself that no one would take her. They took his dignity along with their victory, and that was all they were getting. On another note, he figured out Tooth probably spewed out everything that went on so far during Lanie's 'captivity', and the Guardians sent Jack to get Lanie. He wasn't the reason the Guardians won. He was just a lucky coincidence. It was that darn Jamie Bennett kid that kept his belief for the Guardians that started Pitch's downfall. Jack was the one always causing trouble. That wasn't his fight, and yet he got in the way. Pitch shouldn't have even paid any attention to him, and yet, he did. And now here is the Prince of Frostbite himself, waltzing in saying he can take whatever Pitch loved just to see him suffer. The worst part is that if Tooth told the Guardians about his abduction on just a simple human girl, they would know why. Sadly, he knew the Guardians were not dumb. They were smart and not that easy to lie to, but somehow Pitch was able to. There was a reason why he kidnapped her, and the bigger reason wasn't because he was smitten towards her. _Jack better not say anything, or my scythe will have blood on it for the first time._

"I'd love to talk more, doll, you seem nice. But I need to get you out of here before you can get hurt anymore." Jack held up his hand in a way to stop the conversation.

"Hurt? I'm not getting hurt down here, I feel safe." Lanie laughed awkwardly.

"Uh, Lanie, you want to go upstairs, again?" Pitch asked her through clenched teeth, glaring daggers at the Winter Boy.

Lanie looked at Pitch, confused at his words. "Why? I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"I'm not? You're probably right." Lanie thought slowly, not fully understanding the situation at hand. Yet, she believed him that she wasn't fine rather than her own heart and mind.

"God! You bastard!" Jack shouted at Pitch in anger.

Even Pitch raised his eyebrows at the language. He never thought he'd hear a curse come from this brat's mouth. Lanie was appalled Jack would say that to the man she loved with her heart. She was so startled; she couldn't find the words to shout at him to leave poor Pitch alone.

"Has she always believed you were there for her? After all these months of using her, she hasn't realized it?! How can you be that cruel?!" Jack yelled, pointing his staff towards Pitch's chest.

"W…what?" Lanie whispered.

_What the hell is he talking about? Pitch would never…_her thought trailed off as she thought deeply about it. She backtracked. Before she came here, she was mostly tortured by nightmares, not those dreams she had now. The dreams she had only occurred on special days: her birthday, Christmas, and Easter. That's it. Otherwise, every night contained a nightmare, one after another. He kidnapped her during school. Not after or before, but DURING. When he attacked the school, the other kids and teachers witnessed it as well, making them scared and-Scared.

Frightened.

Fear.

He brought fear to them. He gained fear from not only them, but her. He uses fear as a source for power.

Lanie looked up, feeling torn and realizing what Jack Frost was saying.

"Don't you see? He's been feeding off your fears and nightmares ever since he brought you here. He knew that no human can return to the surface once they step into this hellhole, and that's why he chose you. That's why he keeps you down here." Jack explained to Lanie, whose eyes widened.

"None of that is true!" Pitch burst, closing his fists.

It all made sense to her now. That was why she couldn't leave. It was because he didn't want her to. He would lose the strength he gained, all the fear that he won from her soul. Those three years she spent with torturous nightmares was because he was desperate. After being defeated by the Guardians, he yearned for something to bring him back; anything. So he chose the weakest person he could find, and it was her. He never loved her. The main reason he wanted Lanie was for his own good.

"He's had complete control over you this whole time…and you didn't even know?" Jack said hoarsely, sympathetic to Lanie's dilemma.

Lanie looked up at Pitch, who watched her with nervous, baited breath. He looked like a husband was caught in an affair, or a criminal caught in the flashlight glare of a policeman. Startled, frozen on the spot. Her big, questioning eyes were breaking his heart. Sure, that was his plan earlier. But that was before he actually fell in love with her. After learning more about her and realizing all he needed was her heart and his honest one, he didn't need to take her fear. Well…his heart wasn't that honest as he thought it was. He truly did love her, and it pained him every day and night when they would part. It was uncontrollable, and he still managed to deal with it. He knew Lanie loved him back, because she made it clear.

Now, it looked like the castle they built was crumbling down in flames.

"Is…is all that true?" Lanie asked him.

Pitch glanced away, not bearing to look at his only adoration. He knew Jack was witnessing all of this drama, and it lessened Pitch's strength. God, he wanted to kill him. He wanted to watch his blood seep into the soil above the lair. He's caused so much damage to him. Pitch was right. He was here to take her away. Pitch was the bad guy. And the bad guy never gets the light of day. He never gets a second chance, just like Jack did. He can't. And now Jack was making sure Lanie will never give him one.

Right in front of him, he was losing Lanie.

"Pitch…" he felt her hand touch his arm, her voice shaking, "are you using me?"

He couldn't help it. He snapped. His last nerve broke. He was never a man of drama, and even the word made him sick to his stomach. The pressure of loving a mortal, of being watched by his most hated enemy, and hiding the truth sunk in deeper, and it just caused him to blow over.

"I _was," _ he whipped his head around to glare at her. She drew back at his harshness, "until you HAD to fall in love with me."

Lanie felt her mouth drop. Her heart seemed to cry out in pain, shattering to a million pieces. She could imagine her own good conscience screaming out in agony, falling through darkness, glass breaking everywhere. Tears stung her eyes as Pitch looked away, ashamed at himself. Now he wanted to kill himself. When he looked back at her, she was still staring at him, horrified. Her expression looked like she just witnessed him killing her family. The tears rolled down her cheeks unsteadily, her lower lip quivered slightly. _How could he? For thing long…he faked everything._ Her mind cried.

"Lanie, it's not what you think. Yes, it started off like that-" he tried moving towards her, his hands open for hers.

Once his hand came in touch with her smaller hand, she retracted quickly. She glared at him through wet eyes as she slowly backed away.

"Lanie…please, I didn't mean to-" Pitch tried saying softly. Suddenly, a dull ache hammered in his chest, making him lose his breath.

He paused at something he never felt before. At least, he hasn't felt it in a long time. He touched his chest, right where it hurt the most. It…it felt like his heart, or where it should be, was being ripped apart. It's as if his heart was sad, and slowly sinking into his guts. It wasn't a good feeling. He looked up at Lanie, unsure why he was feeling…

_Brokenhearted._ A voice said in his mind. _This is what it's like being brokenhearted._

"Don't…" Lanie whimpered, breaking off her command, "I…I hate you, Pitch." And with that final, scarring sentence, she turned around and sprinted up the stairs, back towards her own room.

"Told you." Jack muttered, a victorious sneer on his face.

Pitch whipped around at Jack, and this time, Jack saw hatred far beyond than what he saw before. His eyes literally glowed with golden fire, anger radiating off the tall man. His mouth was twisted into a menacing, angry stare, making him look more dangerous than he really was. Even Jack felt himself move back at the sudden loathing aura being sent off of the Boogeyman.

"You've really done it now, Jack," Pitch said acidly, "I find the one thing in life I want to care for and protect, even if I was led astray, and you still have to come and ruin it. You're just like the Guardians, yet you're nothing. Get out! NOW!" Pitch pointed towards the stairs in anguish.

"Wait a minute," Jack's eyes widened, "you actually-?!"

"GET OUT!" Pitch hollered, and with his anger, conjured up his giant scythe and raised it up in the air, aiming directly at Jack's skull.

Jack yelled as he narrowly dodged the swing, watching with fear as the scythe cracked the ground from the impact. The swing was only a centimeter away from his foot. Jack's head jerked up back at Pitch, and he just yanked the scythe out of the newly made crack. Jack became even more shocked than before.

He never thought he would see him like that. Never…

Pitch swung to the left, but Jack flew up and out of the way, hurriedly and quite clumsily towards the stairs leading to the exit.

"I NEVER WANT YOU HERE AGAIN, OR I WILL KILL YOU!" Pitch yelled, directing fearlings towards him in a way to scare him off.

As Jack zoomed out of there, hugging tightly to his staff that almost fell out of his grasp, he couldn't shake the image he saw out of his mind. How will the Guardians ever believe him that Pitch was crying?

Pitch watched the exit, in case he peeped in or the Guardians were right there. Finally, he caved in. The black scythe dissolved in his fists, and he fell to his knees. He clutched his head, wallowing in his complete suffering. He devastatingly hurt Lanie more than he thought he did, and he did the same destruction to himself.

How could love be this challenging?

As he silently abused himself, letting the tears flow, the mares and fearlings watched him. He wasn't having the sense of fear, so they can't attack. But…they never saw their master so upset.

They didn't know what real tears were until now.

**BUM BUM BUUUMM! I know, aren't I great at this? ;) Til next time, and we'll see what happens to poor Lanie and her Boogeyman!**

**Lanie: WHOA WHOA WHOA you can't just leave it hanging there?!**

**Me: Since when did you get here?**

**Lanie: You never let me have any dialogue. Come on! Post the next one up PRONTO!**

**Pitch: I agree. You've failed to keep to your word of posting frequent chapters, so you need to make up to it.**

**Me: Ugh...fine. There goes the spoiler...do I have to do it now?**

**Both: NOW!**

**Me: For goodness sake, alright! .**


	17. Chapter 17

**Yerp, chapter 17. Whoop whoop! This is a little apology for taking so long. And hopefully this will ease your worries. Keep the reviews comin' folks! :D**

**Pitch: *cough* stalling *cough***

**Me: Sheesh, you deserved getting punched by Tooth.**

**Pitch: ...I'll deal with you later.**

**Me: Pfft. I've got fists of fury. WATCHA KAAA! WATCH OUT FROM THE POWER OF MWAHH!**

**Pitch: See, this is why I don't visit you.**

**Me: ...sad face.**

Even after the huge event occurred, Lanie was face down in her bed, crying her heart out into her arms. Pitch didn't bother coming in to check on her, knowing she was still distraught and she wouldn't let him come near her. But at that moment, she yearned for her mother's arms. If she were home in this situation, Mom would cradle her close, whispering sweet words towards her only daughter and try to bring courage and strength back into her heart. Her friends would comfort her and say those usual words, 'He's not good enough' or 'forget him' and 'he wasn't worth the love' and 'maybe the next one will love you.'

But she can't. She's stuck here, alone in the dark and with the betrayer.

She heard Pitch yelling at Jack, but she couldn't tell what he said. The thick, grand bedroom doors were closed, and she made sure of it when she barged in a mess of tears. She even took the time to lock the door, for extra good luck. There's no way Pitch was getting close to her. Never again. So his yelling was muffled. But the final blow, the big holler, she knew what he yelled. _GET OUT! _His huge voice even scared her, yet she was safely locked in her own room. Once he shouted that command, Lanie couldn't help but scream in terror into her pillow. Then Pitch really dropped it. Lanie knew he was bad, but not that bad when she heard,

_I NEVER WANT YOU HERE AGAIN, OR I WILL KILL YOU!_

Lanie's crying immediately stopped after she heard that. It wasn't like him to threaten someone like that, even his own enemy. _It wasn't like him to lie to you like that, and yet he did._ Her mind grumbled. She let her head sink back into the pillow, now tearing up just knowing she can't escape. She's like a deer caught in a shooting range. There's nowhere to go. Since Jack is gone, she can't leave.

Lanie looked up again, wiping her eyes and then brushing her hair out of her eyes. She's starting to hate her hair. Pitch was the one who brushed it, made it grow longer…contaminated it. He touched it. She bit her lip to hurt herself, but then stopped once her eyes rested on something.

Her sword.

Pitch paced his room uncomfortably, thinking those 'what if' questions over in his head for the fifth time. It's been four hours since Pitch chased Jack out of the lair. He knew Lanie was awfully mad at him, but…did she really hate him? The mere thought made his heart crumble.

"Lanie, this is what happened," Pitch practiced out loud, "at first, I did only want to take in your fear, but I was just desperate. You know I would never hurt you. You made me change, and that's what matters most. Hopefully you forgive me for this, because I really need your approval-"

He cut himself off. _No, no, no. That sounds rushed and demanding. I have to be gentle. Remember, Pitch, she's a lady, not a girl._

"God, why did I even think of doing this? I didn't expect myself to…end up feeling this," he groaned, hitting his head with his fist, "I sound like a weak child."

The silence disturbed him. Even the small crackle of the eternal fire that was ablaze in his fireplace didn't fill the hushed gap. _It's too quiet. Lanie's never this too quiet._ Pitch listened, his ears perked at alert. Nothing. Not even a snort from a nightmare. The quietness was so strange, he got a ringing sound in his ears. He turned towards the door that led to the hallway, and as he did, his mind started yelling. Something was wrong. Out of place. And Pitch knew that. Something was wrong, and Lanie was the one involved in it.

She stared at the floor, her eyes wide with amazement she even went that far. They only lay on the floor, not doing anything because it wasn't a living thing. How could it? So why was she watching it like it would jump up and go, 'Just kidding! We're still connected to your head by invisible hairs. Sorry for the scare, just a little joke!' and then reconnect with themselves back to her scalp.

She cut her hair.

She did it swiftly and noiselessly. As she severed her long hair, the memory of watching Mulan with her brothers jolted into her mind, and it almost distracted her. And because she did it so effortlessly, her now cropped hair was two inches closer to her ears, right at the base of her neck. That was how her hair had always been in the past, how she liked it in the human world. Pitch was the one who let her grow it out, he made that happen. He changed her. And she switched back to the style she liked. Yet, why was she feeling empty? She somewhat regretted what she did, but she felt lighter. Her brown hair lay there as a scarring memory of the man she actually thought loved her back with all his heart. _He doesn't have one._

She took the sword in her hand again, then moved her hand down the flat of the blade, feeling the silver smoothness. Although the Boogeyman gave her this, she wasn't giving it up. She's going to keep it. Like the blade, the so-called love they shared cut like a knife, leaving her battered and scarred. Yet, like the handle, she has control over what she can do from this point on. Point. The sword has a point.

She aimed the sword towards her right hand, the one that gave her the gift of so much creativity in art and music. Pitch listened to her play. He watched and liked her artwork. With one tiny twitch, the sword pricked her index finger. Just a small prick, no bigger than a needle puncture.

"This is for believing he loved you." She said to herself.

Another prick followed.

"This is for thinking he was good at heart."

One more prick followed.

"And this is for forgetting your family."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Lanie gasped as she jerked her head towards the door, the sword clattering to the ground. Pitch stared at her, slack-jawed and horrified at her actions. His eyes got an overload of her fallen hair on the ground and the three, small droplets of blood sitting lazily on her fingertip. Lanie didn't have time to react when he rushed over and snatched the sword from the ground, away from her reach.

"Why do you think I gave this to you?! To hurt yourself?! Damn it, Lanie, I thought you were smarter than that." He scolded, watching Lanie stare at him with big, worried eyes.

_Why is he so worked up? He made it clear he used me._ Lanie bit her lip as he continued to reprimand her.

"And look at this hair on the ground! I feel like your mother. Do you know how humiliating that is?!" he continued.

A voice shook Lanie's continuing thoughts. And though it sounded like her, she knew the thought wasn't made from her mind. _He said 'was.' Past tense._

"How'd you get in here? I locked the door." Lanie kept watching him clean up her finger with the end of his black robe.

He looked up at her, showing serious disappointment and hurt. A hint of guilt was written in his eyes as well. That was another thing Lanie loved about him. Even if he acted with no emotion, his eyes were easily readable. They always were ablaze with a golden fire, of happiness, of anger, of guilt, of lust, of love and apology.

"Before I was a spirit, I was a respected guard of a prison during the Golden Age. I know a few things about locks. Not only that, but this is my domain, and locks are no problem for me." He said, not meeting her eyes.

He watched Lanie's severed hair on the floor, and with enough concentration, fearlings morphed from the ground and enveloped the hair into the floor, disappearing completely. Lanie was still hurt by him, knowing he used her at first. And although she felt like bursting into tears and screaming at him to get away from her, the love she couldn't keep down stopped her. Something told her to keep her mouth shut, because this was the moment of truth that Pitch reveals his past.

"Before you were born, before I was the Boogeyman, I was honored. I was claimed a hero during the Golden Age in a place you can never go to. You'll never see it, and no human on Earth knows where it is. I know I said I have no idea what a family is like, but in fact, I do. I blocked it out of my mind because the past can never be fixed. I loved my family. I can't remember them much anymore, due to the centuries I spent here. But when I became…this…my heart turned away from them. I destroyed everything that brought a smile to a child's face. I destroyed my family and my home. And I did it out of power-lust. I hated myself afterwards, and that's why I turned cold. I wanted power for a long time. I thought it would make me feel less empty…" he trailed off, thinking of all the crimes he did.

"Pitch-" Lanie started.

"When I was defeated by the Guardians, I was barely anything. I needed something to keep my existence. At first, I picked you out because you had so many fears that I could use. But then after those three years of watching you from a distance, after hearing you talk about romances you wished to have and how loving of a heart you have…I wanted all of you. The first thing that made me realized I loved you was when you…" he couldn't help but chuckle at the memory, slightly getting off track, "you literally got up from your bed that morning and randomly said, 'I'm going to splatter paint my wall.' And you did, you stuck to your word. You thought it was hilarious throwing colorful paint on one of the walls, and you didn't even care of what your parents thought. I thought to myself that you were incredibly funny and definitely worth more than I thought. And then this voice told me something I never thought I would hear." He looked up at her, seeing if she was still paying attention.

Lanie just stared at him, astonished at what came from his heart into the air. She was also surprised he even told the truth to her, how he did use her at first. But…she was completely wrong about the bogus love. He really did love her, with all his soul. Although it never was spoken, simultaneously, their hearts mended by stitches. Some holes were still there, but nothing would ever break them again. It's as if a shield of titanium was built around it, only preserving their strength and still connecting to each other's.

"She's the one."

That was when she couldn't take it anymore. She bit her lip, trying to keep herself under control. She knew Pitch was telling the truth, there was no denying it. Pitch weakly smiled, knowing she was sorry for blowing over.

"Can you forgive me?" He asked, opening his arms for her.

"Yes!" she cried, then scurried into his arms.

Pitch had no problem holding her tightly to his chest, letting her cry her heart out. With each sob, he gently rubbed her back, glad the hate was all over. It was a misunderstanding. They would no longer have to worry about this, hopefully. Pitch and Lanie both knew love was risky, and yet they were willing to have a go at it. Love always had arguments and even fights, but they would sooner or later mend, depending on how much that love was there. And there was still enough to keep them bonded, and there always will be.

"I'm so sorry, Pitch. I don't hate you at all. Just promise to never hurt me again?" she looked up at him, tears finally starting to slow down.

"I promise, my dear." He smiled, then gently kissed her.

She felt better, but she then was overrun with anger. _It's that stupid Jack Frost's fault! If he didn't just drop the blow like that, it would've gone a lot smoother than this._ Lanie clenched her fist, feeling her eyebrows knit together in resentment. Pitch noticed it, making him look into her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"If Jack didn't come down here and try to take me away, none of this would've happened. If you told me that yourself, I wouldn't have acted so rashly." She looked away.

"Finally, you see why he gets on my nerves." He laughed, making Lanie smirk, "You needn't worry anymore. He's not coming back. Ever."

"I heard." She smiled, watching him cough uncomfortably.

They got up off the floor finally, still holding on to each other, showing that there's nothing separating them. Although they cared deeply for each other, that didn't stop Pitch from confiscating her sword. He berated her as if she was a child, and she was naïve enough to act like one. At first when he announced that, she whined 'Aw, come on!' but then quickly shut her trap when Pitch glared at her warningly. Then, oddly enough, he found it rather amusing. She's seventeen. At his old home, that would've been the age a girl would get married, probably have her second child. Yet, she was acting like a two year old. He imagined her living in the past alongside him. He knew he'd probably be the only one who would choose her. The other men were always looking for a girl who acted like a lady, and to Lanie, that word didn't exist in her vocab. He agreed, he was more superior to the men from his home, but maybe that's one of the reasons he liked Lanie. It was because he found her immaturity a relief. As a plus, hilarious.

November dragged on slowly, and by the time it was drawing to a close, Pitch came up with an idea. Since Lanie accompanied him on his nightmare duties, she should at least know what it feels like riding one of his mares. It's like flying, giving you that adrenaline rush, but also the feeling of security as you were firmly seated on the stallion. She had to try it out. He had to see her reaction to the wind in her face and flying through the clouds.

He patiently strolled upstairs, giving Lanie extra time in the bathroom. He certainly didn't want to have that incident happen again. Nope, nope, and nope. He stopped in front of the door, and listened in to find out what she was doing. He smiled. Pitch heard her sweet, melodic voice float around the bathroom. It was a haunting song, yet beautiful. It could be closely related to a lullaby. _If she is to bear my children, I'd want her to sing that._ He chuckled at the thought. Being a parent? Please, let's not get too silly. But the lyrics she sang were easy to remember,

"_Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be_

_Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea,_

_While up aloft, in storm or gale, from me his absence mourn,_

_And firmly pray, arrive the day, he home will safe return._

_My name it is Maria, a merchant's daughter fair,_

_And I have left my parents and three thousand pounds a year,_

_My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,_

_There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bold._"

Pitch knocked on the door politely, and Lanie's singing stopped. Pitch smiled as he heard her scrambling out of the water and the pitter patter of her bare feet against the stone floor.

"Yeah?" she asked cheerfully.

"I need to talk to you, my dear." Pitch was about to turn and wait against the wall for her to change, but suddenly-

BAM!

The doors were whisked open, and there stood a beaming Lanie, dressed and her hair still a bit damp. Pitch started laughing, entertained at how quickly she answered the door. Along with her big smile, she wore her favorite pair of jeans and a white, fluffy sweater.

"What's up?" she exited the bathroom and closed the door behind her, waiting for a reply.

"I was thinking that since, well, you've never really gotten out much-"

Lanie raised an eyebrow, smirking at his lame attempt of asking her out of the lair. She knew what he was doing. _The Boogeyman's asking me out on a date? This will be fun!_ She started shaking water out of her hair as he kept on messing up his question.

"-so…what do you say?" he looked at her, slightly put on the spot.

"Hold on. Are you asking me out on a date?" Lanie grinned as he looked the other way and nodded.

"I call it courting, but I see you're more used to that term." He looked back at her slyly.

"Fine, then I'll call it courting, too. So where to, Boogey Wonder-man?" she playfully nudged him as they descended down the stairs.

Pitch turned his head towards her, a questioning look on his angular face.

"Boogey _Wonder_-man? Where did that come from?"

"You know, from the song! Dance! Boogey wonder land! Uh, uh, dance!" Lanie started dancing on the spot.

"Oh, God, not that song. I've heard it way too much in the 1980's. Ugh, parents would play it for their kids way too much," he grimaced as she laughed, "don't call me that again."

"Alright!" she chirpily agreed, but then continued singing the song under her breath.

Pitch sneered at her, knowing she was in for a surprise. He looked up towards the cages, then whistled. Lanie kept on singing quietly, not one thing faltering her happy attitude.

"The mirror stares you in the face and says  
'baby, uh uh it don't work'  
you say your prayers though you don't care  
you dance and shake the-"

A nightmare stallion descended hastily from the rooftops to the ground, pawing at the ground and staring at Lanie with a gleaming, yellow eye. Pitch chuckled at her widened eyes.

"HURT?! Uh, what are we doing?" she looked up at him, worry creasing between her eyebrows.

"Nothing special. Just going for a ride on Zephyr." He patted the horse's back, which moved back and forth in excitement.

"Whoa, whoa, and WHOA! I'm riding _that?!_ Pitch, that thing could kill me-wait, this thing has a name?" Lanie cautiously moved forward, a look of hesitance in her green eyes.

Pitch rolled his eyes, "Lanie, they all have names. I just happen to know more than the others. You're lucky I remember yours." He winked as Lanie childishly stuck her tongue out.

He mounted the horse easily and then gripped the sand reins, making sure the mare stays still. Zephyr moved a bit, getting used to the new weight on his back. Lanie lost her breath as Pitch watched her, waiting for her to step forth. He really did look like a knight, both up close and far away. He smiled as he held out a hand.

"Are you ready?" he asked, not showing any trickery.

Lanie hesitantly looked at him, then his hand. Finally, she slipped her hand into his slender one, and with the help of his strong arm, jumped up to sit in front of him. He felt her tense up, not used to riding a real horse. Although she's dreamed of it, she's never ridden one. They were too tall for her to get up on, and she never understood how to care for one either. She'd watch movies that had characters ride horses and shout commands above the roar of the wind. Could they even hear them? Do horses really understand people like others claimed?

Pitch wrapped his arms around her in order to pull on the reins. Zephyr bucked a bit, ready for the thrilling ride. Sadly, it freaked out Lanie. In a quick attempt, she held onto Pitch's thighs, praying to God she wasn't going to fall off.

"I-I change my mind!" she protested.

"Nope, it's too late for that. I promised you a date, and this is what it is. Whatever you do, don't let go." He kissed her cheek, getting ready for the sudden rise.

"Okay." She whimpered, grabbing onto Pitch's hands.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks a bunchies to BVBlover4ever for helping me understand horses a little bit more. I probably should've had some before I wrote chapter 17 ;) I'm so sorry I'm not updating fast enough. Where I am, we're having serious tests being taken that requires a lot of energy and basically suck our brains out. I cross my heart, I will update two chapters at the end in advance for a make-up to this slowly progressing story. Also thanks to darthcat (Guest) for sticking to the story since day 1, you're so cool! And also thanks to the new followers and people who favorited, know you're making a candy-lovin' brown haired girl completely happy. Keep reviewing and such, love you all! :)**

Before she knew it, they were whisked into the air and out the lair with the neigh of Zephyr. Lanie screamed along with Pitch's laughter as they flew up higher through the forest trees and out into the open sky. The nightmare darted against the wind, quickly heading in a direction Lanie had no idea where. They flew past a town not too far from the forest, and then began to fade away through wisps of clouds. Lanie swiveled on her spot and clung to Pitch, afraid of falling more than a thousand feet to the ground. She relaxed a tiny bit when she felt Pitch's hand hold her close by her back, smiling against her hair.

After about two minutes, Lanie finally got the guts to open her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered open, a little worried at what she was going to see, but then soon, her eyes drank in the amazing sight that lay before her. Pitch grinned as he watched her scan her entire scenery, her eyes filled with wonder.

She was met with the glare of the sunset, and what made it more heavenly was that they were above the clouds as she witnessed the sight. Towers of fluffy clouds had a yellowish pink gleam from the burning sunset. It was like a painting no one else could see. If it was photographed, no one would believe the sight. Warm colors of yellow, red, orange and pink rimmed the burning ball of fire, and many smaller clouds had a purplish hue to their whiteness. As they drifted under a gateway of a cloud, Lanie lifted her arm out, extended, seeing if she could touch them. Her hand went right through it, a trail of orange sky in its wake. She smiled at the feeling. They were thick enough to be felt. It felt like cold breath on her hand, almost as if she were feeling thin cotton candy.

"What do you think?" he asked her as she lowered her arms.

She beamed as she glanced back at him, "It's amazing! He's amazing." She praised, patting Zephyr's side.

"And what about me?" he smirked as she sat up to look at him.

She smiled; her face was close to his. She cupped her hand to his cheek and whispered, "You're incredible."

Pitch grinned at the compliment before they kissed. Her short hair that was blowing in the wind tickled his face as they kissed, making him yearn for her once again. He broke the kiss to make sure they were close to their destination, and Lanie was completely okay with that. Once she felt Zephyr jolt suddenly, she knew they were arriving to wherever they were headed.

Pitch slowly eased Zephyr down through the clouds, but it still slightly freaked out Lanie. It felt like she was falling and swan diving at the same time. Once the clouds parted, she beamed at the sight that awaited her.

Upon a bluff, there was green grassland that slowly grew into a forest in the back. A luxurious tent was set up, along with a fire already ablaze and a picnic blanket lay out with small finger food all ready to be munched on. The sky was already becoming a darker shade of purple, so Pitch made Zephyr finally land with a smooth touchdown.

Lanie jumped down and smiled at the sight. She loved camping to the fullest. She knew almost everything about it, and was an expert in the wilderness as well. _If I was on Survivor, I'd be one of the finalists._ But camping like this? It was like camping in a medieval time period. It was absolutely astounding.

"You didn't have to go this far, Pitch." Lanie smiled as he took her by the hand and led her forward.

"Oh, please. I have to go far enough for you." He winked as she playfully made a face.

Once the sky darkened to a navy blue, they were comfortably lying on the down blanket, quietly eating the snacks Pitch gathered. Nothing special, just a few cheeses and fruit, but hey, it was heaven for Lanie. As she chewed on a cube of cheddar cheese, she was lost among the dazzling stars. Since there was no city or town by at least five hundred miles, the sky was so clear, it almost lit up the location more than the crackling fire did. Her head was gently rested on Pitch's stomach, and the Boogeyman himself enjoyed watching the stars slowly twinkle in their spots. Tiny satellites drifted around their view, and Lanie almost confused them for shooting stars. She could easily point out Venus, and she showed it to Pitch, who was impressed at her knowledge. They played a game of finding constellations, each laughing at pointing out a new constellation they made up.

"Look, there are the Gemini twins." Pitch pointed a finger in the direction of Castor and Pollux.

"Ha! They look like stick figures!" Lanie laughed.

They kept this game up until they both saw a shooting star. It wasn't like any other one. It looked bigger, and it had a shade of blue. Lanie sat up abruptly as she witnessed the sighting. Pitch kept staring wide eyed at what he saw. He would see shooting stars now and then, but nothing like that. And the thing that caught his attention was that it was going in the direction of the moon. It didn't look like it was going to smash into the surface of the moon; it looked like it was being pulled into it. As if it was being allowed close to it.

They didn't know it was a miracle sign from MiM himself.

"…Wow…" Lanie breathed, lying back down, but on Pitch's shoulder, allowing his arm to hold her close.

"I've never seen that before, hate to say it." Pitch observed the moon for a longer minute, but when nothing happened, he glanced back at the stars.

He almost missed it.

When he heard Lanie gasp and sit up straight, he did as well.

"Pitch, look!" she gestured towards the moon.

The urgency in her voice was worrying him. He waited to see if the moon would break into pieces, fall from sight, drift off, or even grow a face and start taunting him. It didn't even shake. Until the moon become brighter than before. It glowed like a white firefly, and then released a halo of shining whiteness from the moon. The sudden light exposure brought a force to the earth, and the ground shook for a minute.

"Get inside!" Pitch tugged Lanie up, willing to throw her in to protect her from whatever was going on.

"No! Wait…" she pulled against his grip, lost in the moon's shine.

After that, nothing else happened. Pitch paused for anything. A sound, a movement, something to fall from the sky, but nothing did.

"Lanie, you're acting strange. Come inside before something happens." He felt a sudden urge of irritation.

"Like what?" she snapped, "The Guardians will swoop down and kidnap me?"

"Precisely. Now, come on." he opened the tent flap a little wider.

"Pitch…" Lanie paused, making him shift uncomfortably in his spot, "he's…"

"Who?"

"He's talking to me." She stared at him, her eyes filled with excitement and marvel.

"The Man in Moon? Don't be silly." He tried faking, but it wouldn't falter her.

"I'm not." She glanced back up.

Pitch watched her. After a while, she nodded and smiled, then calmly walked into the open tent, completely keeping her cool. Pitch watched her with amazement that she could stay under control. Usually, now this happened ever so rarely, a human would play a role in a Guardian's time, just like that child Jamie did. MiM's sudden appearance would startle them, and then probably end them confused about their faith. But Lanie? Nope. She wasn't even fazed.

The inside of the tent was simple enough, but it was still lovely to see. Two mats were laid out to sleep on along with comfy blankets, and a few Moroccan candle lanterns shone dimly in the corners of the upper tent. The floor was still grass, but Pitch was kind enough to put a rug underneath the futons. An iron kettle was sitting close to the door in case for early breakfast, along with a basket of herbs that could be used for teas. All in all, the one roomed tent looked welcoming.

"What did the Moon say to you?" Pitch asked, slightly jealous that he said something to her and not him.

"Oh, nothing much in particular." She struggled against a smile as she took off her coat.

"Ugh, Lanie, please tell me. You know I hate it when you keep secrets from me. It gets on my nerves." He pulled her back by her shoulder, making her turning to face him.

"Alright. I promised I wouldn't lie, so I'll tell you what he said." She smiled brightly, knowing something he didn't.

Pitch waited with baited breath as Lanie patiently plucked black sand from her jean jacket. Once she looked up at him, he nodded for her to spit it out already.

"He said that he was going to send you a message."

"THAT'S IT?!" he burst, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Sorry, buddy, but he won't tell me anything else. I asked him what was the deal, but I think I lost touch." She contemplated why MiM would leave her hanging there.

"Oh for God's sake, he's not cell phone reception you know." He muttered as he face-palmed.

That night, the temperature seemed to grow hotter even with the lanterns safely extinguished. And for a time in November, it seemed pretty odd. Sure, it happened now and then, but it always was a surprise when a hot gust of wind would blow across the campsite. Pitch still lay awake, his hands folded behind his head. Nothing seemed to help him fall asleep. Not even counting sheep, which he knew never worked for anybody. He turned his head to check on Lanie. She was fast asleep, curled up under the thin sheets with a peaceful smile on her lips. A sand image of her running with children hovered over her head, and that confused Pitch at first. He knew she was great with kids, and he's overheard her say to her friends she can't wait until she'll get married and become a mother. But it made him wonder what he was missing out on.

Finally, the tent flaps rustled at the arrival of his supposed dream sand. He grumbled and turned over; the thought of Sandman came crashing into his mind. Sure, he should be thankful to him, because without his help, he wouldn't be this far down the path with Lanie. But he still held a grudge against the short man because of-you guessed it-his defeat. Gosh, he so badly wanted to get them back. But just how?

He thought maybe the dream he would get would be about plotting a new rise against the Guardians and even watching himself on top of the world, but no. MiM had something planned for him in the form of a dream.

He was standing in a place he didn't recognize. It was misty, and the fog was so thick, he could feel it through his fingers and legs. Brightness exploded from the fog, and there was a silhouetted shadow of a man standing not too far away from him. Pitch immediately knew who it was.

_Good to see you, Kozmotis Pitchiner. _

"You've got to be kidding," Pitch growled, "So! You're finally talking to me. What a surprise."

_Certainly, because I didn't expect to see this side of you._

"Pfft. Yes you have. So has everyone else."

_That's not what I'm talking about, Kozmotis. I'm surprised you've finally found something worth caring for._

"What, Lanie?" Pitch looked away, knowing MiM was probably silently laughing at his face.

_Nalanie Sheridan was born to be with you, and you know that, correct?_

"Born? Clearly you were in your New Moon phase, because I took her from her home. I take what I want, and I get what I want every time." He sneered.

_Every time?_

Pitch paused, knowing he was right. He glared at him for bringing his defeat up, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you're not done rubbing it in my face, you giant sphere of cheese."

_I have come to give you a message. It is about your future with Lanie._

All of Pitch's coldness ran short. It completely stopped. He turned back to double check if MiM still stood there, obscured by the fog.

"I…I have a future with her?" he couldn't believe it.

_You do. At the right time, you and Lanie will become one, a family. And along with that as a reward for moving on, I'll send both of you a blessing. Something no other spirit can have._

"Not even your bothersome guardians?" Pitch suspiciously looked at him.

_Not even them. You will be the only one with this gift. I have not presented it since the creation of Jackal N. Tern._

"Ha-ha! So I get something the Guardians can never have. About damn time! Hm, what could it be? Power? No, you're not that nice to me. What about more nightmares? Ooh! A domain I can enter where I can scare every single living thing without the Guardians coming to kick my ass?" just as Pitch turned around, MiM was gone.

"I knew it." He grumbled, walking in the other direction.

At first, he was lost in the maze of fog. He didn't know where he was going, but he made sure he kept walking straight ahead. He was lost in his thoughts, now shifting from what the so called 'blessing' would be to what MiM told him about the future he'll have with Lanie. He really did want that to happen, but without her becoming an immortal, she'll become older than him someday. He knew he had to make that choice soon, but it wasn't now. If they're meant to be a family-which he definitely wanted-how would he do it? When he heard the term family, he thought it mean having parents, children, and maybe extended family. So, did MiM mean a committed couple? That was fine as well. But the real question was: how was it going to happen? MiM said it would take place at the right time. What would?

His eyes caught ahold of something on the ground. It looked out of place within the thick mist, so he picked it up. When he felt the weight, the softness of the prism in his palm, he knew exactly what it was. He didn't even need to open it.

Unexpectedly, he heard Lanie's voice drifting into his dream.

"Pitch…Pitch…wake up…"

Hurriedly, he pocketed the prism into his cloak before the scene around him opened up to brightness.

His eyes slowly drew open, still groggy from the lack of sleep. He was met with the face of Lanie, who smiled brightly as he slowly sat up. He grumbled as he rubbed his face, and Lanie leaned back from him to give him enough space.

"What?" he asked, looking back to her face.

"I found something really cool!" she excitedly jumped up and down on his legs, making him kick her off. She landed on the other futon with a 'yipe!' Then began giggling at being launched into the air.

"Do that again!" she excitedly scrambled back to him.

"No. Wait, hold on a second. What did you find?" he shifted uncomfortably as she came to sit on his lap again, ready to be thrown back to her futon. _She's such a child._ He couldn't help but grin at that thought.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, getting back on track. She scooted closer to sit close to his torso, making him grunt at the weight. "Okay, so I had to use the bathroom. I went out into the forest-"

"You peed in the forest?" he looked at her boredly.

"Wait, wait, wait! First off, I had to or I was gonna explode. But then I came across this awesome pond with a waterfall and everything! Seriously, you can look in the water cause there's no gross algae or leeches." She clapped excitedly.

"YOU LEFT THE CAMPSITE COMPLETELY?!" he shouted, and he leaped up from his bed.

This caused Lanie to fly through the air back to her futon, and she did a finishing somersault, accidentally hitting her chin with her kneecap.

"That was a smooth liftoff, Buzz Light-year." She saluted Pitch in an authoritative voice.

Pitch sighed at her hyper energy, holding the bridge of his nose. "Lanie, did you drink the lake water or what?"

"Well, I kind of had too much tea and also put a boatload of sugar in it." Lanie started rolling back and forth on the futon.

"That's it!" he exclaimed, giving up. He marched over to Lanie, picked her up and then slung her over his shoulder.

"HEY! Put me down!" Lanie hit his back with her fists.

"Nope! You're going swimming until you have absolutely no energy left." He snickered as they made their way to the edge of the forest.

"You don't even know where you're going, do you?" Lanie comically rested her head in her hand, her elbow resting against his back.

Pitch stopped, surveying the scenery of the woods. It wasn't creepy looking, more like a welcoming, bright forest with a few shades of shadows. He grumbled as he let Lanie down, forcibly turning her around towards the forest.

"Alright-y, miss Smarty Pants. You show me where it is, then. And don't get distracted." He gave her a nudge.

"Ok, that won't be easy." She started walking into the forest.

"Wait, it won't be easy finding the pond?" Pitch stared at her with disbelief.

"No, not getting distracted." She smirked, jumping over a fallen log that Pitch unknowingly tripped on.

He complainingly followed behind her, trying to keep up her pace as they strolled through the forest. When she would dodge a stump, he tried to follow, but end up getting hit in the shin by it. When she would carefully step over roots, he'd stub his toe and then start swearing under his breath at the unbearable pain. After complaining of the frequent nature attacks, Lanie promised she would warn him for any oncoming hordes of wasps or a giant bear wearing a tie named Yogi. He didn't find it funny. Finally, Lanie turned to him, a wide smile on her face.

"It's right here." She clapped her hands and whipped around, running forward.

She pushed a branch out of the way for her, but just as Pitch was looking the other way and walking forward, she yelled, "Branch!"

SWAP!

Pitch staggered back and spit out leaves and stringy spider webs, disgusted at the organic flavor. He rubbed his cheek where the prickly branch struck him, still sputtering out tiny bits of bark.

"UGH! I THINK I SWALLOWED A BUG!" he blindly crashed through the branches, almost toppling on top of Lanie.

"Hey, hey, hey! Watch it, you could shove me into the water." Lanie jerked to the side as Pitch keeled over on his knees, washing his mouth out with the pond water. To his surprise, it tasted like clean water, not the green mucky ooze you see every day down south.

He looked up and was met with the sparkling, beautiful sight of a swimmable pool with an enchanting waterfall. He had to squint from the sun reflecting off the soaked rocks and glimmering water. Healthy green plants danced in the wind, making the water laugh along. The water was so clear, the couple could see the pebbled bottom and the clouds on the surface. Without thinking, Lanie took off her top and pants, now only in her tank top and underwear.

"Lanie! What're you-?!" Pitch looked away modestly.

"Oh, come on, Pitch. You've seen me in the bath, this isn't that bad." She snickered at his blushing face, then sprinted towards the pond.

"CANNONBALL!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

The water flew up into the sky as it swallowed her fully, and before Pitch could shout to see if she was alright, she broke to the surface gasping for air. She smiled at Pitch, waving an arm.

"Come on! The water's warm!" she invited.

"Ha! No thanks, I don't swim." Pitch kneeled close to her as she swam to the edge.

Lanie sweetly smiled, her hand slowly crawling towards his cloak. Pitch wasn't quick enough, because before he knew it, Lanie yanked him into the water, cloak and everything. Lanie laughed as he rose, his arms flapping around, creating more splashes. When he saw he was safe, he glared at Lanie, who couldn't even control her giggles.

"Are you now?" Lanie raised an eyebrow in amusement.

Pitch rolled his eyes, extremely annoyed. "When we get back home, you're going to get disciplined. First off, my hair is RUINED! Second, I don't swim with this on!" he reprimanded, gesturing towards his hair and dress robe.

"Oh, your poor hair! What ever shall we do?" Lanie teasingly swam around him in circles, and when he tried splashing water at her face, she ducked under narrowly missing the large droplets.

While she swam in the direction towards the smooth rocks, Pitch stealthily took off his cloak, making sure his chest stayed under the surface. He watched her climb up the rock and pitter-patter across the rock, smiling at him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, unwilling to let it grow. How she could be so happy, he could never know. He wished he had that ability. The past and grudges seemed to come bite him in the butt, but somehow Lanie knew how to turn something so awful into something beautiful. She stretched her arms out wide, the sun's rays making her skin sparkle from the water droplets.

"Beware, O wanderers of the wood! For I am Nalanie, Princess of Hyperactive and Cannonballs!" she shouted commandingly, and then jumped into the water again. Her outburst made Pitch laugh as she rose up out of the water and back up on the rock.

"Ooh! Pitch! Who am I?" Lanie giggled. She ran towards the bushes and broke off two rotting branches, both the same length. She put them above her head and stuck out her front teeth.

"You look bizarre, Lanie." Pitch chuckled.

"Isn't that what the Easter Bunny is?" she sneered, turning the joke directed at her towards the Pooka.

That set Pitch laughing harder than before. He nodded when he calmed himself down enough, wanting to see more antics Lanie could do. This time, Lanie took the two rotting branches and swung them around wildly, 'aha'-ing at where ever she pointed her swords.

"The Nightmare King will fear the wrath of Father Chris-" she cut herself off as she slammed the branches against a rock, making the branches burst to pieces, "mas. Uh, hold on, I gotta fix my swords."

As she bent down to pick up the debris, she made a noise through her mouth, indicating it was a crack in her back. "Ah! Holy Saint Nick, my back's out again!" she huffed exasperatingly, and then waddled off the rock and plunged into the water.

Pitch had to find shallow water quickly before his aching sides could drag him underwater. As he laughed at Lanie's silliness, he was thankful MiM said he had a future with her. He hadn't laughed like that in…well, a very long time.

While he was busy laughing, Lanie took that chance to swim under water towards him. She tried not getting distracted from his toned body, and successfully did. She soon tugged on his leg, making him lose balance and fall into the water. He acted quickly, holding his breath as he sunk to sit on the pebbled ground. He opened one eye carefully, and was met with Lanie smiling, struggling to not laugh underwater. But she pretended to laugh and point at him, making him frown mockingly. When they were both out of air, they resurfaced. They simultaneously erupted into laughter. Pitch moved back his hair to make it slick and stand up like it did while watching Lanie. She smirked and copied his move, smoothing back her hair that was already flattened to her scalp.

"Ooh, you're a copycat, huh?" he chuckled impishly.

Before she could say a 'yup!' he grabbed her by her under arms, lifted her up and threw her a distance away, landing in the deep end near the waterfall. When she arose, her head was being showered by the waterfall, and Lanie could hardly hear his glee from the roaring H2O.


	19. Chapter 19

**48 reviews, are you SERIOUS?! I must be dreaming! :D To Thunderbolt Blast, albeit, you were on the brink of flaming and it was a little shocking seeing that review, but uhh...then I saw you posted that once you've read chapter 2. So maybe you should read on? ;) Oh, and yes, I know I have a super problem with paragraphs. It seems to be my weakest spot. (My mean english teacher made that clear). And to AnnikaYoYo: Um...thanks? Girl, I do agree with you, but I'm totally fine. Furthermore, to everyone reading this, I'm now insisting that if you want to flame, PLEASE limit it. Don't be too hurtful, please, no one likes rude words. I'm not banning flames, but if it gets out of control, then I will have to say no flaming is allowed. But right now, its limited. Thank you, and here's chapter 19!**

**Lanie: Not showing personality?! My reactions ARE my personality-!**

**Me: Lanie, shut up, you're fine. It's all ok now.**

**Lanie: Butbutbutbutbut-wait, what about me?**

**Me: Hey, relax! Your personality will be CLEARLY shown soon.**

**Lanie: Good. :D K, you can go now.**

Even once they returned home, the fun still was firmly planted in their minds. Pitch certainly agreed spreading fear made him feel responsible, powerful and free. But just having plain old fun by itself? It was like being a mortal again. He wished he could remember what his past was like, but he couldn't even catch a thought of even a ray of sunshine in the past. The only memory he had was how he came to be, how the fearlings chose him to be their leader. They enveloped him in the darkness, choking the breath out of him. He remembered a clammy feeling around his neck suddenly disappears, and he was terrified at the empty space around his neck and the danger of being in their clutches. Even if there were no nightmares around him, and he had total control over them whatsoever, he would wake up at the dead of night remembering how he was stuck in that horrifying position. And once December, Pitch's worst month, came around, that nightmare came back again.

Cold sweat was trickling down his jaw and the back of his neck as he jolted upright. He could hear the blocked screams of himself trying to gain help, and then he watched his hands change from flesh to grey, like rushing paint. And when his eyes changed color, it hurt like hell. He collapsed onto the floor on his hands and knees. The nightmare he had was the only one he would have. But this time, his nightmare switched to a new one he's never seen before. As he started chuckling to himself, liking the new and powerful feeling he gained, he heard happy singing. It made him stop, and smile out of happiness instead of harm and evil.

He stood up and looked around him, hoping to find the girl who was singing so joyfully. Lanie came out of the shadows, dancing to music he couldn't hear. Once she saw him, she beamed, and beckoned for him to join her. Another figure much smaller than her was hidden behind her, giggling and hiding playfully from Pitch. He smirked and quickly rushed over, just wanting to embrace Lanie. But she twirled into another cloud of shadows, and the little figure behind her formed into white smoke, floating into the sky.

'Lanie? Come on out…" he teasingly called, strolling around to find her.

But then something wrong happened. Oh so wrong. The smoke turned red, and instead of glittering specks like his nightmare sand or even Sandy's dream sand had, it was flecked with darker red speckles. His heart sped up, knowing something was terribly wrong. That's when he saw it. It would change his mind forever. He heard Lanie scream piercingly, a scream no one would ever want to hear. It was of pain, incredible pain. Just as he whipped around at the noise, he saw her silhouetted figure fall to the ground, but only her pale forearm protruded from the red clouds.

Before he could shout, he heard another voice that sounded oddly and dangerously familiar.

"NO! NALANIE!"

That's when he woke up, sweating profusely. Pitch breathed hard, his bare chest rising up and down. This was the moment he wished it wasn't dark. He almost fell over trying to turn on the antique bedside lamp next to him. He'd never been this shaken up before, and now he understood what the kids went through when he visited them. He didn't realize he did so much…damage. He looked over next to him, where Lanie was peacefully asleep, facing towards him. Her breathing was steady, making him slightly relax knowing she was alive. _That was a new one…one I never want again._ He shook his head as he rubbed his eyes with his left hand. He looked back at Lanie, slightly jealous she was having a blissful dream. By the looks of her dreamsand, she was just simply taking a stroll on the beach eating an ice cream cone.

_Pfft. Looks like the chubby sandbag has run out of ideas._ Pitch rolled his eyes at the dream, and then looked back at Lanie's face.

He leaned down closer, trying to calm himself even more. He didn't realize the nightmare did more harm to him than what he thought. His hand caressed Lanie's cheek, feeling her skin on his nimble fingers. He touched his forehead with hers, sensing her fluttering breath against his chin. He brushed his lips against her closed lids, relishing the thought of being so close to her.

Lanie stirred in her sleep, moaning at the softness of his fingers. Her eyes flickered open, but quickly shut tight at the lamplight.

"Pitch...ugh, what's wrong?" she fought against a yawn, moving a bit closer to his chest.

"Nothing." He said shortly. _Don't ask any more questions. Don't ask any more questions._ _Don't ask any more questions._

"Then why is the light on? You love the dark." She muttered, still groggy from the earliness of being woken up.

"No apparent reason, just so I can see your beautiful face." He forced a grin.

"Pitch…" Lanie frowned, "remember your rule."

Pitch sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up into Lanie's bedframe drapery. The slight silver design stood out strongly against the maroon fabric, almost like multiple shiny rivers in a land of barren soil.

"Why did I create that rule again?" he growled under his breath.

"Because you're an honest man," Lanie sat up on her side to give him a sincere answer, "and you prefer to know honest people in your life. You also follow certain guidelines."

Pitch scoffed jokingly, looking at her as if she was ludicrous. Lanie smirked back at him.

"To a degree. You hate being lied to as much as I dislike it myself, and that's what makes us closer, by being truthful."

"Alright, I get your point, my dear." He looked away, accepting her answer to his rhetorical question.

Lanie waited patiently for him to explain himself. He promised he wouldn't keep secrets after that fight they had. Never again. She sat up a little more, not looking away from him.

"I had a bad nightmare." He said bluntly, throwing back the covers. He didn't look at her doubtful face as he changed into his robe, running his hand through his bedhead hair.

"Um, but you are-"

"The King of Nightmares, I know." He cut her off, staring straight into her eyes. She no longer looked skeptical. She looked genuinely worried. He turned his back, praying she wasn't seeing how he was struggling. Lanie finally caught on.

"It was that bad, huh?" Lanie got out of bed, but immediately wrapped her arms around her torso, suddenly getting cold.

"You can put it that way," Pitch walked over and held her close for warmth, "I don't want it again."

"And, hopefully, you won't. Whatever happened, it's over…" Lanie thought for a while, then her face brightened a bit, "You know what I know think of your nightmares?"

"You think they're terrible beasts who torture innocent kids in the dead of night?" Pitch guessed, letting her go so she could grab something warmer from the winter drafts.

Lanie tugged on a fuzzy sweater and turned back to Pitch, wisdom shining in her green eyes. She smiled and then rested her warm hands on Pitch's shoulders.

"You're teaching them to become stronger, to protect themselves. Nightmares make children face their fears, and that's the first step of overcoming them. You're teaching them-in a scary way- to not be weakened by their terrors." Lanie enjoyed watching his face soften at her wise words.

"That's…that's stupid. I want them to fear me, otherwise, I won't be believed in." He shook her hands off and turned away slightly, knowing deep down she was right.

"Pitch…" Lanie whispered.

When he rotated around to face her once again, she snuck a kiss right in the corner of his lips, missing his cheek entirely, but it didn't really matter. He smirked, knowing she missed the target. She smiled back, her heart way above her head in the clouds.

"I believe in you, and I'm not afraid of you."

"I don't want you to be." He murmured, touching her face as he leaned in for another kiss.

Lanie joined him as he was preparing for another nightly round of spreading nightmares on the other side of the world, watching him give directions to his nightmare army. She smiled as she watched him stroke a stallion's neck, telling him seriously where to go and how many mares should come back to the lair. He mounted another horse, probably Zephyr, Lanie couldn't tell them apart, then made the horse face Lanie. Lanie walked up to Pitch, looking up into his eyes.

"Lanie, can you do me a favor?" Pitch asked, lightly tugging on the reins of his ride.

"Depends, what is it?" Lanie smiled teasingly, putting her hands on her hips.

Pitch smirked at her light-heartedness. He still had that small gift from MiM, and something inside was telling him the time was drawing to a close. He knew it would occur soon, and he knew exactly where.

"If Jack comes back...hide." Pitch looked at her gravely.

Lanie was about to say something back, mostly a question if she can go outside or not, but then shut her lips. She nodded quickly, looking away. Most of the time, she felt like she was along with Pitch, and then the rare moments she was like the kid. She hated that, being treated younger than she was.

"I have something for us to do when I come back, so don't go off anywhere." Pitch sneered at her doubtful look.

"Where do you think I'm going to go? Heaven?" Lanie rolled her eyes.

Pitch leaned down so he was face to face with Lanie, and gave a small smile. She was lost in his eyes again.

"You already fell from there, didn't you?" he whispered, then kissed her nose.

"Aw, Pitch…" Lanie blushed, then stopped, "Hey, wait a minute! Does that mean I'm not a good girl anymore?" Lanie carefully backed away as Pitch reared his stallion to fly.

Pitch laughed before saying, "Darling, you became a bad girl once you were fourteen."

With that he took off, his laugh echoing off the chamber walls. Lanie folded her arms, embarrassed. _Darn…he must've witnessed me watch _ Evil Dead _with my friends on Halloween. Oh God, that was awful._ Lanie shuddered, then turned towards the spiraling, stone stairs.

As she made her way to the bathroom to clean herself, the memory of sitting in the dark with a diabetes-guaranteed bowl of candy corn, surrounded by red candles and her whimpering friends came flooding back. She remembered how even her dog, Laurel, peed on the floor when the dead girl chanted, "We're gonna get you…" over and over.

She chuckled to herself at the scary memory. _Well…looks like Pitch is rubbing off on me. Because now I seem to enjoy…thrilling events._ She giggled as she closed the door, hearing the click behind her.

**Yes, I know it's short. I told you, I'm in the middle of a school testing crisis, and I don't have much freetime like I used to. I'll try to get my rear in gear.**

**Hey, is it just me, or should Tooth visit Lanie again? I kinda miss her. Tell me what you think in the reviews and let's see how this story will unravel! :D**


	20. Chapter 20

It was nearly night time when Pitch came back, and to admit honestly, he was exhausted. He literally wanted to collapse to the ground, curl up and fall asleep. He's never been this tired, as he can recall. When he landed back into the main chamber in a cloud of black sand, he dismounted his stallion and rubbed his rump, pain cracking a bit as he turned his upper body left and right. The stallion grunted and stomped its hind legs at the ground, obviously upset about something.

"Shut up, Adalbern, you ride like a newborn filly on hot gravel." Pitch snapped, glaring at the stallion.

The so called nightmare named Adalbern grunted again and nudged his muzzle against Pitch's side, his way of saying, _Hey, it's not my fault you haven't ridden me in twenty eight years._

"That's because you bucked me off and I almost fell into highway traffic when you saw Sandman watching us. Why won't Celia take you out tonight so she can teach you how to properly fly like a nightmare, not like a chickadee?" Pitch grumbled, shuffling towards the spiraling stairs.

_Dammit, I feel like an old man._ His mind whined as he slumped against the wall, his back aching terribly. He so badly needed a bath. One with hot water, so hot he could lose his breath in the steam and every single muscle in his body would relax. The thought of the bathroom reminded him of the time he walked in on Lanie. Now that it was in the past and Lanie teased him about it occasionally, he found himself smiling about the memory. The way she hid herself but showed no embarrassment was impressive. From Pitch's perspective, she was a shy girl who lived in her dreams, only showing trusted people through her works of art and music. Just as he made it clear before, she was a changing girl. One minute, she could be closed up and in a teenage mood. The next minute, she's bouncy and out of this world. He rather liked that.

As he reached the bathroom door, the pain in his lower back eased just the slightest bit. He knocked, but no reply came. Just as he opened the door, making that the signal he was free to himself, Lanie's door swooped open, a gust of wind brushing the back of his neck.

_Oh crap._

"Pitch, where have you been?!" Lanie yanked on his shoulder to turn him around.

"I told you I was out-"

"For that long?! Have you been following the night and avoiding daylight completely?" She shook him a bit, but since he was taller and stronger, he didn't move by much.

"Lanie, it's my duty and like you said, I need to keep it strong." Pitch rubbed his head.

"I know," Lanie sighed, defeated, "I'm sorry, I just got a little worried." She tried backing away, but he touched her cheek, making her pause.

"Then you'd be the first. But look at me," he gestured towards his figure, "I'm the Boogeyman. You can't kill fear."

Lanie rolled her emerald eyes, secretly knowing he would say that. When she looked back at him, she could see how he was struggling. A fake smile that sheathed pain was plastered on his pale face, and his eyes strained, his hand kept winding to his back to rub his spine. Lanie frowned, and Pitch followed suit. _Damn, she's noticed._

"Bad ride?" was all she asked.

"For the first time, yes. It was awful." Pitch growled, turning away.

Lanie stood on her tip toes and gently kissed his neck, smiling when she heard him sigh. She rocked back on her heels as she watched Pitch's silvery gold eyes cloud over with thoughts she couldn't know. But she knew they were about her, by the way he was looking at her. She smiled and gently turned him towards the bathroom.

"How about this? Instead of you treating me out like you promised, I'll give you a little something back. Nothing too big, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it." She offered, opening the doors for him.

"Does it involve me wringing Frost's neck?" he turned towards her, and was met with another eye roll and grin.

"No. No pain included. Just relax, take a hot bath and you'll see." She hugged him from behind, and Pitch found himself smiling at her closeness. She patted him on the shoulder and turned to exit the bathroom, but Pitch made her pause with a simple yet important sentence.

"I love you."

Lanie felt her knees weaken for a minute at that L-word. She looked back at him, and he grinned wider when he saw the glimmer of happiness in her eyes. A genuine smile spread across her delicate lips.

"Right back at you, Boogeyman."

After about an hour and a half, Pitch felt clean and revitalized, making him seem more like himself. His back was no longer sore, but just working most of the day by following the night's shade was really pressing down hard on his shoulders, making him groan as he rubbed the base of his neck. _Whatever Lanie is planning, it better be good._

Just as he opened the door to his own private room, he was stopped in his tracks. Lanie was dressed in not her pajamas like she was twenty five minutes ago, but in a light purple empire dress. She didn't hear him enter, and kept poking the blazing fire with a metal rod. He didn't notice the dark red bag sitting on the couch, but he did check the rest of the room to see if she changed anything. Nope. No tampering done.

"The fire is eternal. It doesn't die out." Pitch's deep voice startled her for a minute. He chuckled as she took a breath to calm her heart that literally said, _AUGH WHO IS THAT-oh, wait, whew!_

She gave a small smile as he strolled over, putting the metal rod back into the fireplace rack. She stood up, brushing her dress-covered knees and then brushing her hands.

"I know, but how else am I going to keep myself from being bored?" she said.

"Was I taking too long?" Pitch asked, a hint of compassion in his voice, but barely traceable to the Guardian ear.

Lanie whipped around at that suggestion, "No, no! You're fine. Anything to make you relax."

Pitch smirked and raised a brow, "Anything?"

Lanie playfully punched his shoulder, which he looked at curiously. _Is that a normal teenage thing people do? Odd._

"Don't get your hopes up, Fearlings-for-brains." Lanie walked over to the couch and beckoned him to sit down.

He couldn't help but look at her hesitantly. He's seen girls act like this. This usually meant, from his perception, she wants something he has to get her. He shifted uncomfortably, finding her kindness…weird all of a sudden.

"Um, am I missing something?" he looked back at the couch to her.

"Pitch, I feel bad for you. You're always working hard and never enjoying life." Lanie sighed seriously.

"Lanie, my dear," Pitch came over quickly and rested his hands on her shoulders, "you're the only thing I need to enjoy life. You don't need to do this."

"Oh, cut the corny crap," Lanie chuckled, blushing as she looked away from his eyes, "But I want to. I owe you for saving me from the wolves, and for allowing me to join you to spread nightmares, and for that date we had. Please?" she looked back up into his face with the best puppy dog eyes she could use.

Pitch chuckled at her, amused at her extra move after that huge 'thank you'. He brushed back a few strands of her hair from her forehead before kissing her there, then kissing her lips. Lanie's heart fluttered as she was enveloped in his arms, enjoying the surprising warmth of his body. _Must've been from the bath._ Suddenly, a thought entered her mind. She pushed Pitch away, making him fall to his bottom to the couch, a look of surprise and trickery in his eyes. Lanie smirked back, showing how much of a tough broad she could be.

"Nice try, Pitch. I know what you're doing." Lanie said knowingly.

"Shame. I thought it was going to work." He looked at her seductively as she sat next to him, turning him around with a good amount of strength.

Before he knew what she was going to do, he felt pressure on his shoulders. At first it was uncomfortable, but then it eased into enjoyable weight. _This is what a massage feels like? _Lanie worked her way down his shoulders to the base of his neck, then trailing to his shoulder blades, almost feeling him relax with each rubbing she put in.

"How did you learn to do this? Doesn't it take years of practice?" Pitch mumbled softly, his eyes closed as Lanie rubbed harder at the base of his neck again.

"Mom said I was born with magic fingers. I thought I wanted to go into massage therapy, but then I thought, 'nah.'" Lanie happily chatted.

"Huh…" was all Pitch could say, his mind clouding over.

"You ready for something else?" Lanie pulled away, secretly amused at his disappointment she stopped.

"Depends. What is it?" he turned around to face her, the fire now warming his right side of his body.

Lanie took the velvet bag into her hands; it was small, but big enough for two hands to hold it. It was tied with yellow yarn, a bow drooping at the end. She looked up at him with shining eyes, obviously proud of herself and knowing Pitch will like whatever is inside it. She handed the bag to him, mistakenly thrusting it to his chest because of her excitement. Pitch laughed quietly at her eagerness in all of this. If only she knew how much this meant to Pitch so far. He's never been treated like this.

He tugged at the end of the yarn, making the bow loosen and fall to his lap. He turned the bag diagonally, the opening towards his palm. Lanie watched him with anticipation, somewhat fidgeting in her spot.

Out of the bag, into his open palm, was a candy bar.

Not just any candy bar. Almond Joys.

Pitch's eyes widened with shock at this. _She's got to be kidding…is this for real?_ He held up the candy closer to his face. Yep, same weight, same looks, same hidden aroma of coconut and chocolate. He glanced back at Lanie, who was giggling happily at his stunned face and his open mouth.

"How-? When?" he stammered, holding the candy bar tightly in his hand, but not hard enough to squeeze it.

"Remember when I came with you on your nightmare duties?" Lanie excitedly got up and twirled once, making her dress flutter around her ankles.

"Yes?" Pitch couldn't help but rip open the sweet a tad bit; just to make sure it was not a joke.

"And do you remember that girl we visited who was a cooking maniac?" Lanie watched him with a wide smile.

"Yes, she literally decorated her room with cook books. Why?"

"Well!" Lanie sat back down proudly, "I went through her kitchen-just cause I can and I was a little hungry- and she literally had a pantry full of candy, and that was the first thing I saw. Then I remembered you saying you loved those, so I stole it before you came back down to find me."

Pitch stared at her, astounded. She did this…for him? And only him. She was only thinking of him, and she put enough thought into this for her King. He looked at the Almond Joy and then back at her, still enjoying his startled expression. What shocked her was that he put the candy next to the fallen bag, and then yanked her into a tight hug. Lanie was surprised for a minute, and then she relaxed. She hugged him back, her fingers weaving into his hair. Pitch pressed his mouth against her neck, feeling her shudder back a moan. His fingertips dug softly into her dress, careful not to hurt her. He was never treated like this. His gratitude was so hard to express, but Lanie understood how thankful he was.

Lanie pulled away, but stayed close to him, giving him a soft kiss on his cheek. Pitch smiled gently, letting himself lean back into the couch. Lanie rested her head against his shoulder, tucking her knees underneath her. Pitch wrapped an arm around her, smiling when he heard her sigh happily.

"Thank you." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

Lanie could only smile and lace her fingers with his long ones, their pattern like a grey and fawn stitching. They both watched the flames of the fire dance, the wood glowing red with hints of green, blue and purple. A thought came to Pitch, and he looked down at Lanie. She was dreamily watching the fire, lost in her own thoughts. Pitch looked back to the fire, unsure if he should follow what he was thinking. Should he do it now? Just to get it over with so the long awaited time could be done?

_No. I just know it's not time for that._

But whatever Lanie was thinking about, she beat him to saying it out loud. And her question completely caught him off guard. She asked one of those questions he never thought he'd hear, and nor in fact did he want to answer it.

"Do you like kids, Pitch?"

"…Uh…" he stammered, causing Lanie to look up at him, "W-why do you ask?" he tried shooting a question back to avoid the topic.

Lanie gave him a look that meant _I-know-you're-trying-to-avoid-the-question-buster._ Pitch cleared his throat and moved a bit, making Lanie sit up so he could use his hand to rub his forehead, then his neck.

"I don't know. I mean, I only think about their fear that I take in, nothing else. I've never considered if I liked them or not."

"So…you don't like them?" Lanie raised an eyebrow, her thoughts switching to something else.

"That's not what I'm saying at all. If I had my own, then I'd love them. But if there are kids who actually believe the lies their parents say about me not being real, then sure, I despise them." He looked at her, just to see if she understood what he was saying.

All Lanie did was nod slowly. She looked back at the fire, hiding her concerns from him. What she was thinking for the past couple of minutes was if she actually wanted to have a family with him, see if it could work out. A part of her said she couldn't because he was a spirit, and then the other part is that he probably doesn't even like the booger-faced primates.

"Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?" Pitch leaned close to her ear, just to see her blush.

"Um…no reason. It was on my mind a lot lately. Thank you for answering it." Lanie turned towards him hoping to give him a sweet smile, but he caught her off guard by gently kissing her.

He smirked against her lips when he could hear her sigh happily, melting into their kiss. Lanie wrapped her arms around his neck, and gently pushed him backwards towards the couch. He was more than willing to do so. But as a chivalrous man goes, Pitch stopped her and cuddled her against his chest, not wanting to let her go to her room for bed.

The time seemed lost to them. When he came home after his nightmare spreading duty, the moon was just rising over the treetops. So by now, if one were to mathematically figure it out, it was probably five minutes to midnight. '_Course it would be._ Pitch's mind snickered, thinking of all those bogus love stories he's heard of over the years. But when he witnessed Lanie yawn, he acted right on schedule. He scooped her up in his arms and started strolling towards the door, as if he was simply carrying a pillow instead of a human girl.

"How'd you know I was tired?" Lanie strained to keep her eyes open, but was failing miserably.

"The way you're acting right now, sweetheart. Besides, it's probably around midnight. Best not to sleep until noon again, correct?" he smirked as she smiled and looked away, memories flooding back to her mind.

They reached her bedroom and he gently dropped her down, about to walk away. She made a whining sound, holding out her hand. He smirked and grasped it tight, but forcing himself not to jump on top of her and sprinkle her face with kisses. It was so hard to control him around her, yet he was able to manage.

"Where are you going?" she asked quietly but worriedly.

Out of Pitch's peripheral, he could faintly make out a strand of golden sand weave through the air towards Lanie, who was still struggling to keep her eyes open. Pitch slowly released Lanie's hand so she could snuggle underneath the thick and warm blankets, smiling up at him tiredly.

"I'm going back to my duties. I'll be back around morning." He turned towards the corner of her room, where a darkened spot could easily be used for a spot to travel by.

"Won't you get tired again?" Lanie asked, resting her head down on the soft pillow.

"Don't worry, love," he held up something in his pocket, "this'll keep me awake." He winked.

Lanie grinned at the Almond Joy, and yawned widely. The golden sand started to circle around her head just as her eyes shut, and her breathing slowed. Seeing her sleeping form was the most beautiful thing Pitch has ever laid eyes on.

"Thank you, Lanie…for everything." He whispered, and as he disappeared, his voice was carried around her room, making Lanie smile in her sleep.

The sand above her head shook and formed into an image of her and her Boogeyman dancing to music, light on their feet with no worries keeping them down to earth.


	21. Chapter 21

**HOLY MOLY I AM SO PSYCHED! (awesome, I finally spelled it right) I literally JUST finished this chapter AND I really think you'll get a major kick out of this. To all recent and past reviewers: YOU ARE AMAZING! Oh, and a shout-out to darthcat: O_O Um...I'm pretty sure I won't be going into detail, but if you want me to, I'll make a quick one-shot off this story just to fulfill your need.**

**Lanie: Oh hai! :D**

**Me: Hiya! Sorry it took so long!**

**Lanie: Quite alright, bud! Sooo?**

**Me: Shh ;) now let's watch the reader's reaction.**

**Lanie: OOO this'll be FUN!**

Lanie woke up the next morning with a happy feeling. There was no reason behind it mostly, but maybe the good sleep she got had to do with it. She wasn't sure, but she was glad she felt so chipper anyway. After eating her small breakfast consisting of an assortment of fruit and deliciously golden toast, she made the decision to take a tour of the huge cavern. She remembered that Pitch would be back soon, and judging by the sunshine reflecting off the pillars, it was around 7:30 AM.

She stepped up to the railing of a bridge and walked across as if it was a balance beam, a small smile stuck on her lips. She's been aimlessly walking around, deep in her thoughts, hoping she wouldn't become bored. She's gotten lost twice, but she'd find her way back to a familiar setting with the help of a nightmare. After knowing Pitch and warming up to the nightmares, the human girl was no longer threatened by them. In fact, the nightmares shared adoration for her just as Pitch does. In conclusion, they were less hostile towards her and more like tame horses. But by Pitch's demands, if he made any, they could make her easily jump or gasp in fright. Although she was no longer afraid, their complexions were still a little eerie.

Her two favorite nightmares were Zephyr, the nightmare that took her and Pitch to the bluff for a date, and a newly introduced nightmare named Onyx. Although in the form of a filly, Lanie knew Onyx was most trusted than the others. Onyx, unlike the others, approached her freely like a real pony would. The other nightmares would only approach if Lanie asked or demanded. But not Onyx. The filly showed favoritism, and Pitch found it completely amusing.

As Lanie carefully stepped off the railing, Onyx sped down past the cages and landed rather clumsily in front of Lanie. She held back a giggle, rubbing Onyx's head as she came close.

_Hello, Nalanie!_

"Hello, Onyx. Have you seen your Master?" Lanie looked up at the rooftops, thinking maybe he'd be right behind her.

_Oh, yeah! He'll be here in a minute or so. He's a little upset right now, and he told me to go home and take care of you._

"Wait, why is he upset?" Lanie looked into Onyx's glowing milky eyes.

The filly gave no answer, but if she could, it would be a shrug. She happily trotted beside Lanie as she walked back towards the main chamber. She just reached the stairs when a loud rumbling was heard overhead. Lanie stopped dead in her tracks, her heart immediately going into panic mode. Onyx left her side in an instinct rage, something all nightmares are born with. She jumped in front of Lanie and glared towards the ceiling, prepared for any human or even Guardian to come crashing in. Lanie held her throat, making sure there was still a pulse.

A huge cloud of black sand collapsed from where the cages dangled, and along with them was a loud thud; a fallen body thud. Other accompanying nightmares scattered from the spot, going back into the darkness to regain their strength. Lanie's eyes widened with terror and she started sprinting down the stairs. It proved hard to do so in a bathrobe that was longer than her, but soon she fell to her knees in front of Pitch's crumpled body.

"Pitch! What happened?!" Lanie shrieked, trying to turn him onto his back.

He immediately yelled out in pain, turning over quickly in the act. His face was twisted up due to pain Lanie had not yet found. She gently caressed his cheek, but it did no good.

"Pitch…what happened to you?" Lanie asked urgently.

"A...Ah…J-Jack…" he managed to choke out through his quick breathing.

Lanie's mouth dropped. She searched Pitch's face for any harm, but was met with his smooth skin and handsome yet in-pain complexions. Her eyes darted around his body, wanting to know what 'Old Man Winter' did to her man. Pitch was roughly clutching his side, his fingers digging into his cloak. Lanie's hand crept to his, and started to gently tug it away.

"NO!" he shouted, glaring at her with eyes on fire with pain and anger.

"You want to be healed or just lay here alone?!" she snapped back. Pitch responded with a growl and bit his lip as his hand was yanked away.

Lanie gasped at the sight. The gash looked like a tiger or some other wild animal slashed at his side, but she could see tiny bits of ice stuck in his robe and skin. Frost coated the outside of the open cuts, and Pitch was sucking air through his teeth at the air to his open wound. Blood was slowly oozing out, but otherwise, Lanie knew he wasn't going to die. _Wait a minute, he's a spirit. Can he?_

"Oh…my God. Okay. Pitch? We're going to my room _now._" Lanie took his arm and slung it over her shoulder, making him sit up. He struggled against his will, wanting to lie back down and become a stiff like a wooden board.

He was just about to protest before Lanie cut him off, "Don't even think saying 'no'. You need help, admit it." Lanie stood up, her knees almost buckling under his weight.

Onyx wanted to help, but when she tried to pick up Pitch's robe with her teeth, Pitch shooed her away with a hand wave, the type of wave a man would do to say he was fine, but he really wasn't. Instead of helping Lanie carry Pitch, Onyx led the couple into a darkened hole, and with enough trust, Lanie wound up in her room. She was surprised it worked for a couple of seconds, but then remembered her task. Once she dropped Pitch onto her bed, he was already unconscious. Lanie bit her lip. _This is gonna be harder than I thought. Especially for him. _

A couple hours later, Pitch was awake and alive, but still pissed off at his major wound. Lanie had to take off his robe in order to fully clean it, and he strongly refused at first. It somewhat shocked her at first, because he would usually make carnal jokes, but this time he was completely opposite. In order to keep his dignity, she only tugged the top of his robe off, so it scrunched up at his hips. Now she realized what she missed when they went for a swim at the pond on their date a while ago. He. Was. Toned. Somehow the robe threw her off to think he was just a skinny, flat, lean dude. But nope! She had to really focus on his gash before she could drool, and thank God she had enough innocence and immaturity to make her blush and look away. He didn't have the courage to smirk, even though he wanted to.

She sat by him, holding the wet washcloth once again in her small hand. He watched her like a hawk as she wrung out water into a bowl, then setting it on the bedside table. Just as she touched his wounds with the cotton towel, he snarled. His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, but he stopped himself from yanking it away. Lanie was unfazed; she looked at him, stern.

"Um, OW?!" he exclaimed.

Lanie wasn't startled by his sudden voice, but her lower lip began to quiver. Pitch watched, confused at first if he was responsible for her shaking lip or something else.

"I'm sorry, Pitch. You don't deserve this." Lanie softly wiped the cloth around his cuts to wipe off the now dried blood.

"Don't be sorry, Lanie. It was Jack's fault he surprise attacked me." He said calmly, but his voice cracked when she dabbed at the cut again.

"He surprise attacked you?!" Lanie exclaimed, looking at the Boogeyman with pure horror.

"Just out of nowhere, with no explanation, besides for 'stealing your life away and being a selfish bastard.'" Pitch grumbled, snarling at the thought of the immature spirit.

"That stupid frost boy…" Lanie started in anguish, but then her voice started to shake, "this is my entire fault."

"Your fault? How's it-?" Pitch turned to her.

"-I should've made you stay last night instead of letting you go out into the night alone." Lanie dropped the washcloth so she could rub her bathrobe sleeve on her eye, where a tear was threatening to drop.

"Hey…hey," Pitch leaned up as far as he could go and held Lanie's arm tightly.

"I should've just made you go to bed, or something to keep you occupied. I take the blame fully." Lanie's head leaned down, and Pitch could easily see a few tears sparkle in the lamp light as they fell onto his cuts.

"Lanie…Shh." He gently pulled her towards him, and she gladly accepted his comfort, wrapping her arms around his neck, "don't blame yourself. Nothing can stop an ambush." He whispered into her ear, making her shiver at his deep and enticing voice.

He let Lanie cry into his shoulder, rubbing her back to calm her down. He hated seeing her cry, let alone blame herself for something she didn't do. He gently lifted her up so he could look at her face. Her eyes were shut tight, trying to hold back tears, but more were leaking out. He rubbed his thumb gently across her cheekbones, and he softly shushed her again. Lanie finally quieted and looked into his eyes, feeling weak for being such a crybaby.

Pitch didn't notice her tears that fell to his wound healed him, and his skin was completely healthy once again.

"What was that song your father used to sing to your mother?" he tugged her to his warm body again, letting her wrap her legs around his waist so she could cling onto him and her happiness for dear life.

Lanie looked up curious to why he was wondering about that. She smiled a bit, the memory slowly coming back.

"Looking Through Your Eyes? They sang that to each other when they needed help or noticed one of them was down. Dad told me he sang that to Mom when they got married and when she had all of her kids, during the childbirth."

"That's romantic." Pitch smirked.

He's seen her father before. He was quiet and was very in tune with reality. He didn't like the thought of magical movies called Harry Potter entering his household, or even the thought of his baby girl buying glitter as 'pixie dust' as a prop on Halloween. Pitch took note of how he loved his wife, but he's never seen Dad give Mom any affection more than a bittersweet kiss or a slow dance at ten at night or cuddling on the couch.

Pitch cradled her head in his hand, stroking his thumb along her cheekbone at a lone tear. She gave a shaky sigh, lying down next to him instead of straddling his waist like she was before. But then Pitch does something that shocks Lanie and catches her completely off guard.

"Look at the sky tell me what do you see  
Just close your eyes and describe it to me  
the heavens are sparkling with starlight tonight  
that's what I see through your eyes"

His voice shook her bones, making her smile and his odd success in singing. It was barely above a whisper, but she loved it anyways. She joined in softly:

"I see the heavens each time that you smile  
I hear your heartbeat just go on for miles  
And suddenly I know why life is worthwhile  
That's what I see through your eyes  
That's what I see through your eyes"

They softly sang, their spirits inside them slowly lifting up and regaining what dignity they had left before Jack's cruel ambush.

Speaking of who, Jack paced the floor of the Pole angrily, not wanting to hear the annoying jeers from Bunnymund and reprimands from North.

"You could've killed him!" North exclaimed, almost frightening nearby elves at his booming voice.

"Isn't that what we want?!" Jack snapped, his eyes literally sparkling with cold ice.

"No! NO, MATE!" Bunny got up all in his face, "Tooth has been reporting change in the guy. If he's not causing harm, we cause none for him."

Jack slammed his staff onto the ground, causing immediate ice to coat the surrounding floorboards and making the elves and dropped cookies skitter across the floor. He glared at the two in rage.

"He's causing harm to that girl! We can't just let him get away with this!"

"Jack, please listen," Tooth darted over, worry written in her magenta eyes, "Man in Moon said Lanie was destined to be with him. There's nothing we can do."

"Oh, yes there is." Jack muttered, looking away. Tooth sighed disapprovingly, and Baby Tooth looked at him with a blank expression.

"Why don't we just simply take her when they're both not looking? You know, and then wipe her mind?" Jack suggested.

"Jack…As a Guardian, you need to understand the rules that MiM set for us. And one of them is to not tip the balance. Something could go wrong if we ruin the fate Pitch and Lanie have." North tiredly rubbed his forehead.

Sandy looked at all of them, very troubled. If only he could somehow help. He didn't need to give any explanation on how Pitch and Lanie came to be, they knew that now. But the petite little guy was stuck. He didn't know what to do in this situation, and neither did the others.

All that mattered was that Jack was beginning to lose it. He was letting out his rage he's kept locked away for so long, and he's venting out on Pitch, something that could not only harm him, but everything that Lanie held dear to her life.

Back in the lair, Pitch and Lanie were now occupying themselves by simply milling around the main chamber, lost in content silence. But as Lanie quietly sat on a stair step, she noticed something about her lover. He was pacing back and forth, clearly lost in anxious thought. He kept pursing his lips as he ended at his selected spot and walked back, stopping at a point and walking to and fro.

"Pitch, is something wrong?" Lanie got up, brushing her hands against her newly changed into pants.

He turned towards her, and Lanie was still surprised to see him so focused on something on his mind. He shirked his eyes for a minute, but then looked back up. Finally, he walked over to Lanie and rested his hands on her shoulders, being dead serious.

"Lanie…I'm sorry, but I visited your family."

"W-what?" Lanie pulled away, wide eyed, "what's to apologize for?" she laughed awkwardly.

"Your family…they're not the same. At all." He looked away, not wanting to tell her the rest.

But his odd behavior was starting to sink under Lanie's skin.

"What do you mean?" Lanie jumped up, completely washed with worry.

"…I didn't realize how much damage I caused." Pitch looked at her from underneath his eyelids, giving the best accidental puppy eyes Lanie has ever seen.

"Pitch, you didn't do anything besides take me. It's not as bad as it seems. Can you show them to me?" Lanie wrapped her arms around Pitch's waist for a quick hug, but he wouldn't let her go that fast.

He walked slowly to the darkest part of the chamber, a few yards away from where Lanie stood. He turned back to her, and then gestured to follow him.

Lanie's family was amidst deep sleep, all of them, including Laurel. Lanie's eyes watered when she saw the towering boxes all organized in the kitchen and living room. Everywhere else in the house was clean from boxes, which meant they were ready to leave the next morning. The walls were bare, let alone the light squares or circles where pictures and school projects used to hang. The fridge in the kitchen was gone, only dust and pipes left in its spot. Lanie walked through the dining room, which was completely empty. It was so empty; she could hear their breathing echo off the walls.

"Can…can they see me?" Lanie couldn't bear to look at Pitch.

"Depends…I'm not sure." Pitch folded his hands behind his back as he followed her into the family room, where the white fireplace was stripped from recent birthday cards, candles and frames. Mom's piano was gone from its traditional spot, and the corduroy couch was covered with a large, white cloth. The old fashioned stereo was shut off and the cord was wrapped tightly, being held by a rubber band. Dad's old recliner bore the same white cloth, as did the dog's so called 'throne.' Yet, that didn't stop Laurel from sleeping there. Lanie quickly walked over to her beloved pet that she missed so much, staring straight into Laurel's face.

The golden lab mix was breathing slowly, lost among dreams of squirrels and falling leaves. Lanie whimpered, tears stinging her eyes. She carefully raised her arm, afraid if she were to pet her, her hand would go right through like a mist cloud. But as her fingers stroked Laurel's ear, Lanie was overcome with happiness but also loss when Laurel hummed happily in her sleep, her tail swishing twice before curling up in a tighter ball. Lanie turned to Pitch with a questioned look.

"How come I didn't go through?" she asked, standing up.

"Most animals can see us. That's all I know." He said bluntly, looking away.

Lanie led Pitch around the corner to the front hall, where Mom's CD collection lay in neat piles. Lanie tilted her head to the side, searching for the ones she used to listen to during her lifetime with her family. She smiled sadly, seeing how her mother organized them alphabetically. When she looked up where she thought she would see the brass chandelier, she was met with black and brown wires and a clean, white circle where the groupings of lights used to be. She shook her head as she smirked, knowing her father would take anything worthy with the family where ever they would go.

They made it upstairs, and to Lanie's surprise, the stair floorboards didn't squeak loudly like they usually did when she was with them. Lanie glided her hand up the smooth wooden railing, relishing the feeling of being home. Pitch pursed his lips together in a thin line, berating himself.

_She should've come here sooner,_ he thought curtly, _and then it wouldn't be so melancholy._

Furtively, they entered her brother's room. Lanie sighed gloomily at the sight of her little brothers. Well, they weren't so little anymore. She was somewhat surprised that Charlie and Colby grew so much within six months. Charlie could've reached her shoulders if he stood up, but he was sound asleep on the floor, having to share a sleeping mat with Colby because Dad packed the mattresses. Charlie curled up against Colby's back, who was hugging himself against the cold; Charlie was hogging the quilt once again. Lanie smiled widely at that. Even though she was gone, they were still the same. She gently tiptoed to Colby's bed, where on the bedframe lay a comforter with yellow stitching. She tugged it off the bedframe, and quickly draped it over Colby's shivering body. He immediately relaxed, and a content sigh escaped his nose. Charlie curled up closer to his back, and his older brother straightened his legs a bit, liking the new warmth.

Pitch looked at Lanie, admiring. He smiled when he witnessed her squat down and touch each of their heads. Her hand didn't go through. She gently stroked their heads, remembering how they loved that before they went to bed. He could've sworn the two boys smiled in their sleep. Lanie gave them each a kiss on their head, and then whispered something that ripped Pitch's heartstrings.

"No matter where I am, I will always love you. You are my only brothers, and the only brothers I love."

Once she stood up and started to walk out of her brother's shared room, Pitch grabbed hold of her hand. She stopped and turned towards him, knowing he had to say something to get off his chest.

Whatever he wanted to say was lost. He couldn't remember what he wanted to tell her, maybe even ask her. So to fill in the gap, he quickly shot in-

"How're you not crying over all of this?"

He immediately regretted asking that. It sounded a little rude to him, but Lanie surprised him when she smiled with shining eyes. They were eyes full of tears, but not of sadness. Sure, she was sad she can't ever see them again, but there was something else he couldn't really name.

"They're moving on, and that's nothing to cry about. When people move on in their life, it makes them stronger, and that's what I want for my family. I don't want them to forget me, but I want them to continue the life they have, no matter what happens."

"Lanie…" he whispered softly.

She snickered softly, glancing up at him through her lashes, "Kind of like how I moved on from hating you to loving you."

"Oh, you say the cruelest things." He sneered as he clutched his heart in mock hurt.

All fun aside, they went into her parent's room, but they had to stop in their tracks. _Danger, danger, danger!_ Pitch's mind repeated over and over. Not Lanie. She was stunned at the sight.

Sandy stood next to the bed where Dad was, who snored into his pillow. Sandy just finished a dream cloud when he noticed the new presence in the bedroom. Dad's dream of was lying in a hammock surrounded by fluttering leaves and soft wind, a book in his hands. But Sandman's eyes widened at the sight of Pitch and Lanie. If he could talk, he would be stuttering. He pointed a finger at them, his mouth falling open.

Pitch waved his hands in front of him, mouthing, 'No! No! No! Don't even _think_ of harming me again!'

With the help of a cloud of sand, the short man leaped over the bed and landed in a guarded stance, glaring Pitch down, who slowly walked backwards, almost hitting Mom's dresser. Lanie watched Pitch, curious. Finally, she laughed quietly. The two men turned towards her, confused.

"Funny, Pitch. Are you scared of him?" Lanie beamed down at Sandy, who smiled back shyly. He held out a hand to her, and she bent to his level to shake hands.

"Me? Scared? Don't be absurd." He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Sandman finished a friendly hello to Lanie, then went straight back to glaring at Pitch. Though it was a cold greeting, Pitch was more than happy that Sandy wasn't kicking his ass like he did last time. Twice. Sandy formed a nightmare horse above his head, then a question mark, and then pointed a stubby finger towards Lanie's parents.

"Uh…" Pitch stammered.

He glanced towards Lanie, who looked at him seriously and crossed her arms. This was her way of saying, _you better not. I dare you to do so, and if you do, I'll be kicking your butt all the way to Taiwan._

"Pfft, I wasn't even thinking of that," Pitch waved his hand, "I was just bringing Lanie back for a last goodbye." He finished softly.

Sandy held up a hand to his mouth in surprise, and then beamed at Lanie. She clutched her hands, nodded and smiled back. Sandy raised his eyebrows towards the two, and then formed a sand heart above his head.

"Stop it, you little sandbag." Pitch hissed under his breath.

Sandy merely smirked victoriously. Ooh, he's been waiting a long time to mock Pitch like this. He knew Pitch can't hurt him again because he'll come back just like he did last time, so Sandy chose this moment to really kick him in the rear.

He formed a couple above his head, who were dancing ballroom style. Lanie watched on, fascinated at his sand magic. As a finishing touch, the couple met in a passionate kiss. This was Pitch's favorite dream of him and Lanie. Pitch's head snapped towards Lanie, his face heating up. She looked at him, and then looked away, giggling.

"You don't quit it now, little man, and I'll-"

Sandy stuck out his tongue, and then pretended to laugh. Pitch held the bridge of his nose, being overwhelmed by embarrassment and stress. Sandy finally got an idea, and waved to get both of their attention. Lanie smiled at him, nodding for him to continue, but Pitch reluctantly looked back at his complete opposite.

Sandy formed a hollow circle above his head, but none of them knew what that meant. Sandy added a ball of sand at the top of the circle, but it still didn't give them the idea he was trying to say. Sandy mutely sighed, and made the image collapse back to sand particles. He held up his left hand and pointed to the ring finger, a sly smile creeping along his cute face.

Sandman started to roll on the ground in silent laughter when both Lanie and Pitch colored red furiously. Lanie shuffled her feet against the carpet, hiding her smile from Pitch's eyes. He looked away from her, pretending he didn't see a thing and was too occupied admiring a photograph of Colby's picture with the track team. Colby was down on one knee in the front, holding up the sign that read '2013', but was looking at something off in the distance and not towards the camera. Yet, that smile was still planted on his innocent face.

But when Pitch looked back, Sandy was having a charades conversation with Lanie, who oddly enough, understood everything. She nodded or shook her head at a few things, shrugged her shoulders occasionally, but whispered back replies when they weren't yes or no questions.

"Yeah," Lanie whispered, checking to make sure both her parents were still snoozing, "it was a nice treat of Tooth visiting and leaving gifts for my birthday."

Sandy made a few more images and gestures, and Pitch could only stare in awe that she caught everything within his fast communications.

"Oh that was your gift? Well, thanks! I really enjoyed it. I already filled up twenty pages of sketches." Lanie smiled while high fiving the cuddly man.

He pretended to cheer with happiness, dancing around on the spot that he got the right gift for Lanie. But once his eyes trailed over to the window, his little mouth dropped. He whipped back to Lanie, and formed a clock above his head, gesturing towards outside.

"You've gotta go? Okay, then!" Lanie nodded, standing up.

They were back outside, Pitch holding Lanie close to his side, his arm caringly wrapped around her torso. Her hand was rested on his chest, enjoying the nearness of her man. They stepped further into the open air, now somewhat off the driveway. Sandy started to rise up on the cloud, getting ready to follow the night for the next sleepers who need good dreams. He glanced back at Lanie and Pitch, and gave a small wave…mostly to Lanie. Not to Pitch.

"It was nice meeting you, Sandman!" Lanie called, waving her hand above her head.

Sandman beamed at her friendliness. With the rush of wind and dance of sand, he was gone. Lanie sighed happily, recovered to the fullest in a great mood.

"He's a nice guy." She said aloud.

She turned towards Pitch, who was studying her face intently. She smiled, expecting one in return. Pitch's eyes dug right into her soul, searching for something he needed to know. His arm slowly retracted from her torso, and began moving in front of her. Lanie's smile fell, confused why he was acting like this.

"Is something wrong, honey?" Lanie asked.

Pitch's blood was pumping furiously. His hands were sweaty and his heart was beating ever so fast. This is what it was like to be in love, to keep it cherished forever. He never thought in his entire immortal life he'd end up like this, loving a human girl who always believed in him from the start. He never thought she would love him back, but she did, just the same as he loved her. Only one thought was racing through his mind, making him act like this.

_Now…now…now…now_

"…Pitch?" Lanie's eyes widened, her heart suddenly hammering in her chest. Something was telling her to be prepared.

The Boogeyman, King of Nightmares and Fear, took a deep breath. And with that…

He got down on one knee.

**Isn't that the BEST way to end a chapter?! :D I LOVE YOU ALL! AND I LOVE THIS CHAPTER! Holy moly, I'll get started on Chapter 22 right now! SO FREAKIN' EXCITED! (I'm actually acting like this is real)...**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, I had to revise a bit-thank you (friend's name-you know who you are) for helping me dot my i's and cross my t's. So! Here we goooo! ;)**

Pitch tied his shoe.

Lanie looked on, completely disappointed. _So...he's not proposing? Oh...ok._ She thought sadly. Her shoulders slumped a bit, feeling defeated...

**APRIL FOOLS! ;D Holy moly, I would NEVER let that happen in a story! Plus, because I've looked closely-um-just for drawing purposes (hehe), Pitch doesn't wear laces.**

**Maybe Velcro, but... ;)**

**Pitch: HEY!**

**Me: Oh come on, everyone misses those days?**

**Pitch: I may not know what Velcro is, but I'm pretty sure that was an insult.**

**Me: lol you should get yourself Spiderman Velcro sneakers that light up in the dark. That'll be beyond awesome. Ok! Time to satisfy the readers! ^_^**

**Pitch: Yes, lets.**

All breath was gone from Lanie. Tears of abundant happiness flowed out of her before Pitch could even take that lucky prism out of his hidden pocket. She had to really control herself from anything in order to hear him. The images in front of her were starting to blur. It was one of those moments of life that tattooed to a person's mind, something they'll never forget, not even 'til the end of time. She really had to control herself, or else she could possibly faint, scream, jump on him, or start laughing hysterically.

"Lanie, this is really hard for me to do, understand that." He started.

Lanie nodded furiously, her hands shaking. Pitch held the small box tight in his hand, knowing the moment was ripe and ready. He looked back up at her, a smile of love on his face.

"I knew I was going to keep you forever, but I didn't think I would find myself like this. I know I love you, but I didn't think it was possible for it to grow bigger. I've made terrible mistakes, and one of them was destroying your future. So…I'm giving you the choice to have a future with me."

Lanie's eyes widened as he swiftly opened the box. The ring was elegantly sitting in a bundle of black velvet. The ring was pure silver, and one gold stone was centered right on top of it. It was absolutely beautiful.

"Will you-?"

"YES!" Lanie couldn't keep herself from screaming.

She jumped up and down before tackling a laughing Pitch to the ground, and hugged him tightly. He pulled away to give him time to slip the ring on, and Lanie beamed at it for a second or two before peppering his face with kisses.

"And Pitch?" she stopped, cupping his face in her hands.

"Ah, you're done?" he chuckled, letting their foreheads touch.

"You didn't destroy my future." She whispered, not wanting this moment to end.

Pitch looked at her curiously. He took her from a normal life, from friends and from family. What does she mean by this? She smiled brightly, looking at him right in the eyes.

"You are my future. My past and present as well." She murmured honestly, and she kissed him right on the lips.

His eyes happily closed, loving the sweetness of her lips. He cradled the back of her head with his hand, while he made sure he kept sitting up. Then his eyes shot open for a minute. Was that her biting down on his lip?!

_Ooh, God, yes. Show me your bad side_. His mind growled, but then he knocked some sense into himself. _Where did she learn this?!...probably me_.

He pulled away from her, both of them breathing hard. He leaned close to her ear, and his words made her heart scream gleefully.

"Once we're married, you're all mine."

"Yes, my King." She beamed back at him. And for the first time ever, she was so happy she was blushing.

He laughed as the nightmares and fearlings surrounded them in darkness just as the sun rose above the trees, and that darkness led them back to their home: the lair.

Meanwhile, at the Pole, North was just finishing up a new ice prototype of a flying helicopter when a knock sounded at his door politely. He smiled happily and put down his utensils, grabbed another chocolate cookie and went to the door to answer it.

"Finally," he said, "about time someone knocks instead of barging in!"

He was met with two elves accompanying the one and only, Jack Frost. He gripped his staff tightly, wanting to freeze the little buggers that kept annoying him around his ankles. But otherwise, he looked crestfallen. He looked up at North from underneath his lashes, obviously feeling guilty. North gave a small smile, and gestured for him to come on in.

"What's the matter, my boy?" North sat back down at his office chair, swinging around in a circle once.

Jack shuffled his feet, kicking a few stray chunks of ice scraps on the hardwood floor. He mumbled something, but North begged him to speak up. Another elf jingled from behind the corner Christmas tree with a plate of plum pudding, and offered it to Jack, who shook his head. North gestured for the elf to come forth, his belly wanting a yummy slice of the dessert.

"I think I'm finally seeing what I've done wrong. I didn't know what I was doing was-"

"Tipping the balance?" North interrupted, cutting a bit of plum pudding with a spoon.

Jack nodded, floating over and sitting on North's table. He made sure he didn't sit on any newly made prototypes. He looked at North for help.

"You know, Jack, people move on. Everyone does. Look at you! You've been a loner for so long-"

"Gee, thanks." He smirked.

"-and you didn't want to become a Guardian. But soon, you found yourself a part of us. What would you call that?"

Jack was quiet for a while, and then murmured, "Moving on?"

"Exactly, my boy. And take a look at Bunny. He used to dislike you strongly. And now?"

"He and I are friends." Jack gave a small smile.

North chuckled, "More or less."

Jack gave him a sneering look, still getting used to his stale humor. He stroked his fingers against the wooden staff, and then got up. He began pacing back and forth, wanting so badly to vent. It's North he's with, wouldn't he understand? When Jack glanced back at North, he was looking prepared and sympathetic. Jack let all of his anger out as best he could.

"It just doesn't make any sense that PITCH would change! He's not like that. He's an ignorant, selfish, good for nothing nightmare! Tooth should've punched him more than once. How about the same number as the amount of her fairies?!" Jack gritted his teeth.

"Jack!" North gasped.

"I'm not done! And another thing, how come when Lanie comes into the picture, he's all Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes? It's not as if he's sensitive to love, cause he never has. A brute like him can hurt a girl like Lanie, and that scares me. If anything, Lanie shouldn't even be in the same continent when he's there. And I'm so mad at Manny! How come he's letting this slide?! Sure, they both 'love' each other, but we can't just let her slowly die away down in the dark! I want to do something, but you guys keep holding me back."

North sadly sighed and shook his head. He got up and put a hand to Jack's shoulder.

"Where did you get all this anger all of a sudden?" he asked solemnly.

Jack was quiet. He looked away, unsure. "I don't know. I just want it to be over with."

"Jack…" North leaned down to his height, like in a fatherly manner. Jack looked back, knowing a lesson was just around the corner.

"Do you see Pitch attacking us right now?"

"…No."

"Is he threatening the children of the world?"

"No."

"And didn't you make it clear you saw him actually look at Lanie with love?" North finished his bombardment of questions, folding his arms.

Jack nodded, also remembering how he told the rest of the Guardians that he was crying. It was the strangest thing to see, coming from an implacable, revengeful man of the dark.

Three elves crawled up to the table, as quiet as they could. The leader of the trio watched North and Jack talk more, making sure they had time. He nodded back at the other two with a wide grin; they beamed back, and started eating the remains of the plum pudding. One dribbled the rest of the icing with North's spoon into his open mouth, while the other licked the plate clean. The leader was gorging on a large chunk of pudding when the door swung open, almost bumping North's side. They froze, then scattered, hoping they wouldn't get caught.

North heaved a sigh; he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How many times have I told you to knock?!" he spat.

"Um, mate, I'm not a yeti." An Aussie voice grumbled.

"Bunny!" Jack smiled, shifting his posture.

There stood the six foot one tall Easter bunny. His ears were twitching, and his green eyes looked troubled. He was about to explain, but North cut in.

"What's wrong?"

Bunny cleared his throat, and then jerked his head towards the main room where the globe was. North and Jack glanced at each other with confusion, but then followed the rabbit down the stairs.

"Something's up with Man in Moon. He's trying to tell us something, but we don't know what it is." Bunny jumped a double step, almost landing on scattering elves.

"Shoo! Why are you always under boot?" North scolded, and the elves ran in other directions, following their boss's instructions.

Bunny hopped over to the spot on the floor where the huge G standing for Guardian was. Underneath that special floorboard was the blue crystal that Manny would pull up if he chose a new Guardian, and Jack was the latest addition. But since the flooring was closed, they knew no one was to join them for a long time. However, the floor shone brightly with the Moon's white gleam. Tooth bit her finger and looked at Sandy curiously, who shrugged his shoulders. MiM was trying to tell them something.

North stepped forward, smiling up at MiM. But then the Moon changed the glare of the moonlight, and a shadow shifted across the G flooring. The Guardian's mouths slowly fell, watching with wonder. What was going on? What was Manny trying to tell them?

Two dark shadows fluttered into place, and slowly morphed into two beings. Tooth held back a gasp, and Baby Tooth, who was next to her, squealed. Sandy raised his eyebrows and Bunny looked on with shock. Jack looked up at North, who didn't know how to respond.

They were the shadows of Pitch and Lanie.

Before any of the Guardians could say something, or even cough, the two shadows transformed into one. Everyone held their breath, afraid if anything were said, Manny would stop. The finishing touch…

Was of a new shadow.

They did not recognize him.

The new shadow was of a tall and fit man, and his hair was uncut and messy. Nothing else could be seen. The Guardians couldn't see what his face looked like, or what that weird curved stick was on his shoulder. Bunny was the first to speak up.

"Who on Earth is that?!" he asked loudly, holding his ears.

"This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen happen." Tooth still stared at the shadow, wondering if it'll move again.

"Something's wrong…something's wrong…something's wrong!" Jack said over and over, getting a terrified feeling in his gut.

"Oh, so how do you know?" Bunny snapped, obviously taking this to the extreme.

They broke out in fits, unsure of who was there on the terrazzo. Sandy shook his head, obviously bothered as much as the rest were. They bickered, and Tooth fluttered about wordlessly, seeing if she can get a different perspective on the shadow man.

"But it can't be someone we know!"

"How would you know that?!"

"Is it Jack? It kind of looks like Jack."

"My hair's not that long!"

"It's just a guess…"

"And you're nowhere near that muscular."

"What importance does that dude have?"

"Whatever is going on, Manny knows we need him."

"Or maybe he needs OUR help."

As they argued, Lanie and Pitch stood in the night, smiled upon by the shine of the moon. They held each other close under a twisted yet elegant tree, the leaves shrouding them from the darkness of the outskirts of the forest. For the first time, in a long time, Lanie wore white.

As the Guardians paced back and forth, deep in thought, Pitch shared his heart to Lanie through tender whispers. They had no priest. They had no witnesses. No flowers, no church, no music, no grand entrance, no tears from family members. They didn't know the vows, so they bonded under the weeping tree through their own words, promising of eternal love, protection, and unfathomable hope for the new family they've become.

As the Guardians continued their quarrel over the images they saw placed on the terrazzo, Lanie and Pitch kissed each other sweetly, slowly melting into the darkness where they would enter their home, the place where she was finally one with him.

Fate was a ways away. Destiny was set in stone. The Demise will come, but not in a while.


	23. Chapter 23

They got married secretly on December 12th. Why secretly? They didn't want the Guardians finding out, simple as that. They only wanted MiM knowing, because he _had_ to. If the Guardians found out of their marriage, anything could go wrong. They would clearly object and retaliate, and somehow get into their business. Lanie knew Pitch also didn't want them knowing because he hated them, but it wasn't the main reason. He also wanted it done covertly so they wouldn't witness him in his weakest state; being in love. But it was all over, and the wedding night was now a happy memory that will be forever planted in their mind.

Two weeks past, and the lair changed, but not by much. Pitch's room became just an extra room by itself, and Lanie's bedroom became their own. That's about it. But they were happy, maybe even more than that. The only thing that pricked Pitch's side was that Christmas was getting closer. Lanie noted his troubled state, and gave him the idea of a vacation. She laughed when he didn't understand that word. The nightmares now followed Lanie's demands if she had any, due to the fact she was married to their master. To her, being married was…weird. Well, to make it clearer, foreign. She knew she wanted to, but never this close. It felt different than being alone, of course, but it was nothing like dating. She liked the feeling that he was a part of her now, and felt more trusted. It made both her and Pitch pleased.

It was Christmas Eve, and Lanie had that cheerful, holiday mood inside her heart. She knew Pitch despised this holiday the most out of all of them, but…maybe she can make it better for him? No one should be grumpy during a happy holiday. There must be something that they could do from now on when the time would arrive every year. Lanie's finishing dreams as she slept were filled with ideas, basically anything she could do. A smile spread across her rosy lips as ideas filled her mind, and she nestled deeper into the warm bed.

She woke up to low huffs against her neck, followed by a rough dry feeling on her cheek. Her face twisted, knowing that wasn't Pitch.

"Ugh…w-who?" her eyes slowly peeled open, waking up as fast as a snail.

Onyx's bright yellow eyes shone into Lanie's face, but it didn't scare her. She smiled, yawning. Onyx seemed excited she was awake…partially.

"Morning, Onyx…" Lanie smiled drowsily, sitting up a bit.

Onyx leaned back to give her space._ Hiya, Lanie! Slept well?_

"Perfectly." Lanie nodded.

She looked to her left, and noticed Pitch was gone. Only the imprint of his body was left in the sheets. Lanie looked around the bedroom, sitting up a bit more. _Where'd he go?_ She thought, _he said he wasn't going out to spread nightmares for the rest of the next two weeks._

She flung her legs out of bed, her nightdress fluttering. She turned towards Onyx, who pawed at the ground patiently.

"Where's Pitch?" she asked, getting up. She was fully awake now.

_He's in the baths. I believe he's taking one, too._

Lanie thought for a minute, and then slowly smiled. Onyx gave her a weird look, backing up a bit.

"Hm…I should probably take bath, too."

She started towards the door, but Onyx jumped in front, blocking the door with her body.

_Nuh uh! He knew you would try to come in when he was bathing._

"Oh, come on. I'm his wife. Move, Onyx."

_I can't! He said if you come in, he'll disintegrate me into nothingness!_

Hearing the desperation in Onyx's voice made her stop. Lanie was a kind soul, and she had to respect Onyx's reasons. She sighed and turned away towards the wardrobe.

"Alright, Onyx. You should thank me I'm saving your hindquarters." Lanie shot the filly a smile.

She disappeared into the wardrobe for a minute or two, finding her favorite pair of paint-stained jeans and a long sleeved shirt, but she could clearly hear the baby horse's glee.

_Oh, thank you, Lanie!_ _You don't know how much that means to me! I can't thank you enough._

"Onyx, there's no need to continue. I get that you're thankful." Lanie smiled warmly as she carried her clothes out and setting them on the bed.

She turned to Onyx and made a swirling motion with her finger, telling her to turn around. Onyx nodded, her mane shaking. Onyx turned her back, giving Lanie the privacy she needed. Just as Lanie finished pulling on her pants and tore off her nightgown, something caught her attention.

_Uh oh._

"What?" Lanie asked, her heart jumping softly.

_Look-!_

"Shoo, Onyx! I told you to-" Pitch's voice barked at the door, but he stopped at the sight of Lanie half-naked.

Lanie's eyes widened and her heart went into panic mode. She brought her arms to her chest in defense and turned, her back slouching a bit.

"Whoa…" Pitch stared at her smooth back and inviting, bare neck.

"PITCH! GET OUT!" she squealed.

Lanie heard him chuckle, and she looked back. He had a towel wrapped around his hips, and his hair was sopping wet but still sticking up towards the sky. He had a crafty smirk placed on his angular face, his eyes drinking in the sight of her.

"God, Pitch, you can be such a pervert." Lanie snapped, turning her back on him. She waited to hear the door close, indicating he would leave.

The door shut.

_Wait, it worked?_ Lanie straightened up, listening carefully. _He left? That fast?! Cool. Look who's a strong willed wife! _Her little mind fist pumped proudly.

But suddenly, she felt something against her back. It was tough but soft and smooth, almost warm to the touch. _Crap…_Lanie's eyes widened. _His chest_. Her hands tightened on her shoulders, making her arms press against her chest for extra protection. Pitch chuckled in her ear, and she felt his fingertips play with the rim of her jeans, pulling it a tiny bit downwards.

"It's my room too, you know." He murmured against her neck.

Lanie received shudders up her spine once she felt his mouth press on the nape of her neck and when his hands wrapped to her stomach, caressing softly.

"Ugh…Pitch, stop." Lanie's head almost lolled back, but she remained under control.

Lanie felt him smile devilishly against her neck, and she gasped when he softly bit down. He chuckled, and then walked away, feeling content with his teasing. Lanie rolled her eyes and put on her shirt, and for an extra measure, a sweater that loosely hung down to her calves.

An hour later, Lanie was busying herself in the recreation room, that's what she called it now, with painting. She was careful to let her mind paint the canvas, not her hands. Her hands were simply instruments to put the wanted image onto the white world. Her hands gently stroked the brush upwards, curving halfway then swooping towards the right, colorful paint following in its trail. She smiled as she rubbed the brush on her palette, adding a hint of green to the image in progress. This was the time her mind was allowed to wander.

_Hm, I haven't seen Pitch after that little encounter in our room. I wonder where he is._ Her mind buzzed with no limits as she dabbed the brush quickly against the canvas, just the way she wanted it to look like.

It's as if she was using her mind as a superpower, because soon she heard the door open and footsteps coming towards her. His footsteps were easily recognized, and she smirked as he drew closer, wondering what she was painting. She smelled his cedar scent off his robe as he leaned over to peer at her work.

"Lovely painting, Lanie." He looked at her with shining eyes. He was fully honest.

"Thanks, I'm looking forward to finishing it." Lanie beamed, and quickly wiped her brush against a cloth to get out the black paint, hoping to put a hint of something else onto it.

"And why is that?" he looked back at the work. He couldn't tell what it is yet, because it looked like she was halfway through. He could faintly make out her sketching behind it, but he didn't know what it was yet. It'd be best if he waited until it was done.

"I dunno. I kind of want to finish it so you and I can do something." Lanie chatted, carefully putting one single white dot into a black orb. There were two.

Pitch bit back a retort. He was going to tease her about that 'something', but he decided she could possibly be a little ticked off still about this morning. He straightened up and began strolling around the chamber, eyeing all of the glowing gemstones that brightly lit up the room.

"So, Pitch." Lanie started, drawing her head closer to the painting.

"Yes, my love?"

"Have you ever thought of having a family?" she asked nonchalantly.

That question got him so off guard; he tripped on his own footing. He scrambled on the ground, but he failed to get up fast enough. Soon, Lanie rushed over and peered over him, wondering if he was okay. He stuttered, looking around for anything to distract him. He finally met Lanie's questioning green eyes, and stopped. He put his hands on his bent knees, sitting upright.

"I…I thought we had this conversation." He stated, looked at his black covered feet.

"Yes, about a month ago. And you didn't even answer my question then." Lanie squatted in front of him, being as serious as possible, "remember what you said when we got married?"

He looked away with a grunt, and then muttered his words under his breath. Lanie snuck a finger underneath his chin, making him look up at her. She smiled warmly, making his heart melt once again.

"Sorry, Boogeyman, I didn't catch that." She crawled closer to him so she could hear well.

Pitch smirked, and then said quietly, but louder than before, "As long as I'm with you, we're bonded. And that bond makes us one, a family. I want a family, and you're the main reason I have one now."

"There's that favorite saying of mine!" Lanie laughed, tapping Pitch's nose. He blinked at the flirtatious gesture, but then chuckled along with her.

"It's just…I'm not cut out for that," he finally sighed, getting up, "I mean, let's look at this seriously, dear. The Boogeyman as a father? Where have you ever heard the phrase, 'As sweet as a boogeyman' or 'as nurturing as a boogeyman' or even, 'you're going to love my father. He's the Boogeyman.'" He began to rant, pacing the floor.

Lanie patiently listened, knowing this has been on his mind for quite some time. She shoved her hands into her jeans, forgetting that spots of green and orange paint were still stained on her palms. Oh well, they're old jeans anyway. When Pitch finally stopped, glaring at the floor, Lanie strode over, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I know it seems impossible, but…many men before you felt like that. Hell, even my own dad thought that about me." Lanie smiled, trying to get her husband in a better mood.

He looked at her sadly, "That's not the only thing I'm worried about."

"Tell me, I'm right here." She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her body against his back. She felt him relax a bit.

"I know all children believe in the Guardians. I don't want them finding out if we have…one." He was too afraid to call a child his own.

"Pitch, look at me," Lanie waited for Pitch to look at her. When he did, she held the side of his face with her hand, so he couldn't look away, "I don't want them finding out either. But know that I come from a world where I believe in them, too. I want ours to believe in them, but mostly in you. A child cannot grow up without knowing what fear is. It's just part of life. It's part of being a family."

"Right now, you're my family." He turned around and kissed her forehead. He cupped her chin in his hand, staring straight into her pretty eyes.

Both Lanie and Pitch wanted a family, and that meant becoming parents. But…how was that to happen? That means harboring secrets, which was a dangerous thing. Lanie would become immortal, which wouldn't be a problem, but Pitch wasn't sure if Lanie still wanted that. And more to the important, spirits cannot have kids. For some reason, it's impossible. Only Man in Moon has that power to give a child to a spirit, and the only lucky one who was given that gift was previously mentioned in Pitch's dream with MiM, Jackal N. Tern. He and a mortal ended up having twins, both girls, and they quickly grew up to be April and Patty. Of course, they were the April fool's spirit and St. Patrick's Day 'mascot' as Pitch called her. He's never met them, but he was sure he didn't want to. The spirits around the world noted that immortal children grew three times as fast as the human child, even inside the mother. That meant the pregnancy was only a three month long period. The age they reached was up to MiM, but he made this a real brain scratcher. If they were to be raised within a human family, they aged like the normal human. Jackal had to leave his two girls with his wife because of his duties, and somehow that happened. It confused Pitch, and somewhat…scared him.

Soon, Christmas passed and the weeks went by, slowly turning into a chilly January. Lanie wandered outside one crisp, cold morning to see the world around her. Pitch has allowed her to venture out whenever she pleased. He said that since she knew how to wield a sword, she could have the privilege to do so.

With her silver sword hanging in its sheath by her side, occasionally bumping her side when she jumped over a rock or a fallen log, she wandered aimlessly through the woods. She almost tripped and fell into frozen mud, but luckily caught herself by a branch before landing on her knees. Only a bit of mud was spattered on the trim of her winter purple skirt. Lanie scanned the scenery around her, enjoying the light filtering through the trees and sparkling on the icicles. After taking a few deep breaths, she continued strolling around aimlessly, debating if she could go back to the lair or not.

_Well, Christmas is over anyways, so he's probably not even home…_ her mind pondered as she carefully stepped over a log. _But I'm getting kind of cold…Hm. A little too cold. And I'm wearing a freakin' sweater and winter coat!_

As if she said her words out loud, a snide but playful voice sounded from the branches of the cedar trees above her.

"Well, well, well! Little Lanie's out of the dungeon?" Jack Frost laughed.

Lanie whipped out her sword just as he started his 'well' chant. She put on a warrior face, snarling like a wild feline in Africa. Jack found it cute, chuckling to himself. He swung down from the tree gracefully, landing firmly on his bare feet. He leaned against the cedar tree, smirking teasingly at the girl.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't cut your throat." Lanie hissed, straightening up a bit.

"Ooh, a threat at first meeting? That's not polite." Jack smiled wittingly, and then picked up his fallen staff with a flick of his right foot.

Lanie watched him with a keen eye, wondering-more like screaming in her head-why he was there, standing in front of her like he owned these woods. He looked up at her from underneath his silver hair with a handsome smirk as he started to walk around her like a predator to prey. She watched him with contempt, gaining that ability from her faithful husband. Jack finally stopped and frowned a bit.

"You know I'm just playing a bit, right?" he asked, looking at her seriously.

"I know, and I suggest you watch it." Lanie said with a biting smile.

Jack sighed and rubbed one side of his staff lovingly with his thumb. His staff was so smooth and worn down from being held by him, and mostly through all the ice, snow and wind it had to endure. He glanced back at Lanie, who looked somewhat troubled by her nastiness towards him. He could see she was slightly afraid.

_She shouldn't be towards me. More likely towards her…captor._ Jack tried giving a friendly smile to soften the mood, but she backed away cautiously. His smile fell.

"Did I do something to make you mad at me?"

Lanie looked at her snow covered shoes. The coldness was already seeping through and wetting her toes, making her ache to be in front of the eternal fire back in the cavernous lair. In front of the fire, wrapped in a blanket and in Pitch's arms, receiving soft kisses on her neck and cheeks to make her blush, and hearing his pleased chuckles…she couldn't believe she actually enjoyed that sweet torment. If she were living back in Jay, Maine, she would completely scoff at that idea of showing affection. But now that she was beyond that point, it was perfect. Everything was when she was with her Nightmare King.

As she thought this to herself, a smile crept across her face, along with a sly, pinkish blush. Due to the nipping cold, it could've looked like she was just flushing from the frozen air, but Jack knows cold like the back of his hand. He smiled at her foolish grin.

_I'd have to admit, although I hate Pitch, he chose a pretty girl…_

When Lanie looked up, Jack towered over her, but not by much. With Pitch, she had to crane her neck just a tad bit so she could look him in the eye. With Jack, he was about two inches taller than her. Pitch was at least five or six.

She didn't move. She frowned and gave him a cold stare, showing she was putting up her guard, and that she didn't like his closeness. He rolled his eyes and smiled, moving back a bit.

"You really shouldn't get that close to me, Jack Frost." Lanie warned.

Something stirred inside her, a feeling of darkness, love and protection. She smiled impishly, knowing that feeling by heart. Pitch is close by. As the wife of the Boogeyman, she could sense when he is around just by those stirrings in her heart. And knowing what was to happen, she shifted her weight to one side, looking like she dominated the woods rather than this teenage spirit of winter himself.

"And why not, Nalanie?" Jack asked boredly, rolling his eyes again.

"Because I've already claimed her." A British voice bellowed.

Lanie snickered quickly when Jack's crystalline blue eyes widened at the suddenness. He even backed up a bit further, holding his staff tightly in both hands. He tried to seem brave and on guard, but to Lanie, he knew he was afraid.

Black sand tendrils shot out of hidden crevices and shadows, layering themselves around the half perimeter of Lanie, leaving her two feet of space. Large, dark clouds of sand rose from the distance, and a shadow behind Lanie slowly formed into a tall man with gleaming, gold and silver eyes. Once Lanie felt his hand grasp her shoulder, she knew she was safe.

"Pitch!" Jack shouted, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Yes, I'm right here. Who else?" Pitch said tartly. Lanie looked up at him with a deadpan expression.

Jack was struggling for a minute, really considering which words to choose to nail Pitch with. Ooh, he would totally swear. He would've attacked him right then and there if it weren't for Lanie's presence. He knew it wasn't right to curse in front of a woman, even though he's been guilty of it from time to time. Hasn't everyone? He finally drew a breath through his teeth, aiming his staff in the direction of the Boogeyman and his wife, yet he did not know that. Nor did the Moon tell him so.

"Let…her…go." Jack said strongly. It wasn't a suggestion, it was a command.

Pitch laughed, walking a bit to stand next to Lanie. He grasped her arm, plotting to really throw him off. Lanie knew what he was going to do. She gasped at his strong grip, looking at him with mock fear. He smirked down at her, and then slyly looked back at Jack.

"Now, why on earth would I do that?" he asked, his voice smooth as silk.

Jack watched Pitch's hand travel down her arm to clasp her hand. He stopped breathing. _Oh, hell no…_

Pitch and Lanie shared a look towards one another. Finally Lanie cracked a flirtatious smile.

She gave a kitten purr, letting Pitch envelop her into his arms.

"Woof." He said seductively

Lanie couldn't help giggling as he crashed his lips on hers, forcing her mouth open with his tongue. He invaded, and waged war with her own. She nipped at him, causing his tongue to pull back, but she retaliated by brushing her tongue on the bottom of his lip. When they parted, they were out of breath, the thought of Jack gawking at them with a horrified look nearly exiting their minds.

When Pitch turned back to look at him, Jack still stood there, completely terrified and lost at what he should say. Pitch sneered at his reaction, and then turned back to Lanie. She lovingly touched his chin with her fingers, completely happy while being in his arms.

"I've still got game." She said matter-of-factly.

Pitch threw back his head and laughed, and then finally kissed her on her forehead.

"Yes you do, my love."

He could almost hear Lanie whisper a gleeful 'yay!' as he jerked his head back towards Jack, who looked beaten.

What was going through his mind was something even he never knew he would think. No, he had no crush on Lanie. In fact, he didn't like any girl. He didn't exactly know what love was, in that perspective. He was familiar with the family love and care, but not…Pitch's type. Even if he never knew what it was and how it would alter his immortal life, it didn't stop him from yearning it. Maybe that's why he loved the attention Tooth and the little fairies gave him. They were always in clouds of fangirling screams above his head as Tooth showered him with questions and checked his pearly whites.

What didn't make any sense was that…_I'm Jack Frost. I'm younger than him and closer to Lanie's age. Even the other Guardians say I'm good looking, Pitch is not. I'm so much better than him. So…why does he end up with a girl who loves him with her heart?_

And as Pitch watched Jack quickly turn around on his heel and take off on a breeze of air, a thought entered his mind as he and Lanie casually strolled back into the darkened part of the forest.

He knew exactly what Jack was going through.

Longing for someone to love, to hold and to cherish, is a gift not every man gets. And somehow, Pitch won the draw.

_Shockingly…it doesn't make any sense to me either._ Pitch shook his head light-heartedly as they descended into the shadows of their home sweet home.

**BTW, that is not smut. Don't you dare accuse me of putting smut in a T rated story. This is staying as a T! I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! Oh, and to relieve some people, I've got some great news. I've been getting a lot of questions that revolve all around this:**

**OMG YOU BETTER MAKE A SEQUEL PLLEEEEAAASSSEEE?!**

**That's basically what most of them looked like. And people! I've been planning to do that since I started chapter 2. ;) I have to! Because of the ending this story is going to have, IT SCREAMS FOR A SEQUEL!**

**Daaaaamn you people are going to kill me once you read the ending of this story. Just know that there's another one around the block!**


	24. Chapter 24

**HOLY SAINT FRANCIS OVER A HUNDRED REVIEWS?! I LOVE YOU ALL! I've gotta say, ten reviews right when I woke up? Something tells me it's gonna be a good day! :D To DrGinger35: heh-heh, sorry about dat. I literally just watched Shrek the Third and I thought Pitch would totally say that, so I STOLE IT! MWAHAHAHA, no, joke. DreamWorks, it's all yours! To Nat (Guest): GAH! I wrote calves instead of thighs?! Darn it. Look who's gonna study more in Health class. Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks for catching that!**

**I got this up as fast as I could, because I knew that when I started this, I'll have a TON of free time on April Vacation! :D So right now, I'm at the ocean sitting on the rocks while typing this up for y'all!**

**….the only problem is that this stupid seagull wants my candy bar that I'm eating. GO AWAY! SHOO!**

**Seagull: Mine…mine-mine**

**Me: O.o Oh ****_hell_**** no…**

**Pitch: BEAT IT, OR I'LL PLUCK YOUR FEATHERS AND STUFF THEM PLUS YOUR CARCUS INTO A PILLOW!**

**Seagull: AAAAAEEEEEE!**

**Me: Nice one! :D**

**Pitch: Don't mention it, now START THE STORY!**

**Me: Yes, o Great and Powerful. -_-**

"Pitch, I'm sorry about going out into the woods." Lanie apologized, oddly cheerfully. Pitch simply nodded in return, then cracking a small-almost unnoticeable-smile.

"Don't apologize. He shouldn't have been there after that threat I gave him." He said, going back to petting one of the nightmares.

_Damn, how many does he have?! All I know are Zephyr and Onyx!_ Her mind laughed, watching him snicker as the nightmare bucked its head against his chest playfully.

_I know he's supposedly 'evil'. Scratch that. He's just misunderstood. I wish the Guardians saw this side of him, the part that I see every day and night. It would make him seem less…hostile._

It was true; a huge chunk of her so badly wanted the Guardians to let up and see that Pitch is a good person when he wanted to be, but when was that to ever happen? They've only seen the man who went to drastic measures to be believed in. And Jack only hates him because he broke his staff and pretended to have a connection with the Nightmare King.

Jack…

"Hey, Pitch?" Lanie asked, rubbing the back of her head.

"Yes?" he looked up, his eyes glittering gold and silver.

"I know you threatened to kill Jack a year ago, but…are you actually going to if he comes back?" Lanie brushed back a bit of flimsy hair that was brushing into her forehead.

Pitch glanced at the nightmare beside him, then back at Lanie. He looked troubled. Lanie was going to think he actually meant to, until he sent the nightmare to do her duties on the other side of the world. When the nightmare was gone and the lair no longer echoed with wild snorts and whinnies of his helpers, he tugged Lanie to the darkest corner of the main chamber, and they entered into their bedroom. He sat her down at the edge of the bed and kneeled in front of her, showing his total honesty.

"No. I can't do that to anyone, even Frost. I don't know why, but something always stops me from killing someone. I have no idea how I was able to kill Sandman before, but….heh, I'm not that bad." He winked at her, hoping to lighten the mood.

Lanie nodded, looking away. She may have made the 'I-understand' gesture, but she didn't really comprehend at all. She's not even immortal and yet she so badly wanted to wring that boy's neck. He and his stupid, handsome grin and his silvery hair…the thought of him made her scowl. Pitch rested a hand on her knee, gaining her attention back.

"Why do _you_ hate him? I have my reasons, but I don't see yours." He said calmly, moving closer towards her so he could sit next to her on the bed.

Lanie sighed and folded her hands, watching her thumbs graze each other. She shrugged, and then explained herself.

"He almost destroyed the bond we have. Remember?" she looked up at Pitch.

He nodded, the past burning in his eyes. It was an angry past. "How could I forget…but he's never harmed you, thank Heavens." He gave a small smile towards her.

"Yeah," she sighed contently, "so what do you have against him?"

Pitch scoffed and lay back on the bed, his legs dangling off the side. He rubbed his forehead, praying he wasn't going to get a headache soon.

"He's an annoying, rude, stupid teenager that thinks he can freely take whatever I have just because he's a Guardian. He has a bad habit of interfering, too." He sat up, staring strongly at Lanie, who watched him intently, "you know he was trying to take you away from me?"

"I'm aware of that." Lanie said bluntly.

"That's not what I meant…" he hit his head against the blanketed mattress again, pissed at himself for bringing this up. He thought he would never tell Lanie this, but…meh, you can't really keep secrets from your own wife, can you?

"Pitch…was he trying to kill-?"

"God, no!" He jolted up at the suggestion, "he was going to make you…a Guardian, I think."

Lanie rolled her eyes, "Pitch, you really think _Jack_ has that ability? Only MiM can do that. You're just being immature."

"How am I immature?! I just…" he barked.

"You're just afraid of losing me." Lanie whispered, touching his lips with her finger to make him shush.

He mumbled an agreement, but a curt one. He didn't like it when he was weakened by love. Well, he both liked it and hated it. Lanie knew he was afraid of losing her. _Anything could go wrong…and possibly everything._

Lanie shot a wide grin, making Pitch blush oddly. He was just thinking a…thought…and when she smiled like that, he thought for a minute she knew. It's not his fault he imagines himself making love with Lanie! Doesn't every man dream that with a girl they like or love? But luckily, Lanie didn't know at all.

"It's cause you _love_ me! You wanna _hug_ me! You wanna-"

"Kiss you?" he sneered, knowing exactly where she was going.

She blushed, completely at loss for words with a silly, in-love grin on her sweet face.

"Hell, isn't that the truth." He chuckled.

He wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her in, pressing his lips against hers. That kiss was full of fervor, of want, it made Lanie groan when he playfully bit her bottom lip. She felt his other hand press down on the small of her back so she could be closer to his body, feeling the heat radiating off both of them. Lanie's hands weaved up into his hair, loving the sound of his content sighs when they pulled away just for a breath of air. Before she could nail him with another kiss, his mouth beat to her neck, softly grazing it with kisses. Lanie's moans seemed to become breathy. She gasped when he bit down teasingly, then as a flirtatious apology, licked that newly sore spot.

Lanie and Pitch knew that as their newly bonded life progressed, their romantic 'events' became hotter and more urgent, showing profound yearning that they soon won't be able to hold back. They had no honeymoon, nor did Pitch even want one. But every time they faced an affectionate time like this, he was filled with regret he didn't claim her sooner.

Suddenly, the doors burst open. Onyx trotted in happily, unfazed by their tender moment.

_Hiya, fellas! Just wanted to see how my amazing Masters are!_

Pitch pulled away and glared at Onyx, who shrunk back a bit. Lanie was at a loss for words for being interrupted.

"What…_is it_, Onyx?!" Pitch snapped.

Onyx's nightmare sand tail went between her hind legs, like a dog. She looked like she's been kicked and bitten repeatedly by North's elves. Lanie couldn't help but whimper at the cute, begging face the filly made.

"Pitch, look at her!" Lanie squealed, getting off of Pitch and running over to the growing horse.

"Lanie, you've got to be kidding-!"

"Oh, come on, Pitch! She's a little sweetheart." She petted Onyx's nose, and she contentedly whinnied and brushed her shoulder with her muzzle. Lanie looked back and grinned at her husband, "Look at this face! She's so cute!"

"Yeah, well, look at this face!" he pointed to his own, annoyed and longing; "he wants his wife back on his lap so he can enjoy the rest of his day."

"Oh, you can do something else to occupy your time." She waved his reply away lightheartedly, going back to stroking Onyx's mane, "besides! If anyone is bored here it's me. I've got nothing besides taking baths, walking in the forest and painting."

_Humph. I offered more entertainment if that filly didn't walk in on us. _His mind grumbled as he folded his arms over his chest grumpily. _Hmm…bored, huh? I think I can fix that. _A thought entered his mind, and it seemed like a thought that he knew would make Lanie squeal with glee. But…how was he to find one? He might as well start with plan A before immediately going to plan B.

Pitch led Lanie down a dark tunnel, trying to keep his high spirits up while Lanie was complaining.

"Pitch, I can't see a darn thing! What's the surprise?" she said, moving the blindfold over her eyes a bit, but Pitch slapped her hand away.

"I told you no to-"

"More like commanded." Lanie cut in, grinning naughtily.

"Ugh, just trust me, ok? I know you do." He rolled his eyes and continued down the dark passageway. Once he felt a warmish breeze, he grinned.

He turned to make sure Lanie was still blinded, and so she was, foolishly grinning at his warm hand and swinging her head side to side to see if the blindfold would loosen. Nope. Foolproof. With his nightmare magic, he parted the darkness, revealing bright light on the both of them. He turned fully towards Lanie, took her hands in his and led her a few steps out into the sunlight. Once she felt sand on the bottoms of her slippers, her mouth dropped. Pitch couldn't help but chuckle at the cuteness of it all. He let go and slid behind her expertly, watching the scenery in front of him.

"You ready, my dear?" he asked tenderly, holding her shoulders with care.

Once she nodded, he easily pulled off the blindfold, and Lanie's eyes blinked at the sudden brightness. Pitch grinned as he heard her draw in a breath. Lanie's mouth, if turned into a cartoon, would've hit the dunes. Aqua, salty water lapped the almost white sand. Seashells dotted the shore obviously in shades of pink, pale blue and browns. Otherwise, it was immense beautiful blue and a rim of white in the horizon.

"PITCH I LOVE YOU!" she screamed with joy. She whipped around and tackled him to the ground, almost making him lose his breath. She peppered his face with kisses, and then gave him a finishing smooch on the lips, cupping his cheeks so they puffed a bit. He muffled a 'love you' back, but he was too busy being smothered by her. _Maybe I should've got her a book…_

He grinned as Lanie pulled away and jumped up. She held out a hand, and he gratefully took it. Before he could react, Lanie yanked him, almost making his arm come out of his socket. She ran down the beach towards the rushing waves with Pitch trying to dig his heels into the sand.

"No! No! No! I said NO!" he kept on protesting. There were sand rooster tails spraying out from the tracks his heels made.

Lanie stopped pulling right when they were at the brink of the splashing water. Her bright smile never faltered, but her eyes showed her disappointment.

"Why not? It's just water!" she said, pointing to it.

"I…I know it's just-"

"You're robe is gonna get wet?" she raised an eyebrow, and her smile finally fell.

Now he was feeling bad. _Well…no one else is around here but us…I wonder…_ he thought, looking back at Lanie with a questioning and shy look.

"Oh…" she gave him a sly look, bending down to take off her slippers, "you're just afraid of losing your dignity, huh?"

"What?! No, that's a ridiculous proposition." He quickly retaliated, but Lanie could see right through that glass lie.

"Give it up, Pitch!" she laughed as she threw her slippers further away from them, then started rolling up the cuffs of her sweatpants, "you didn't willingly go swimming with me on our date, you locked me in my room when you went to take a bath-"

"So you're saying you want to see me naked?" he sneered, watching her go wide eyed and start to stammer.

"N-no, I just-I mean…ugh, you do that to me on purpose." She glared at him when she realized he was toying with her. She huffed and clenched her hands into fists, "fine! I'm going in!"

She wasn't even two feet in until she heard, "HEY...wait up."

She turned around, somewhat surprised. _He's not kidding…is he?_ She watched him, seeing if he was pulling her leg. He nervously looked at the fastening of his robe and back to the water. She almost giggled at how he huffed, annoyed, at the thought of it all. With one hand flick, his robe was off and he was carefully stepping into the water, a pissed off frown on his face.

Lanie couldn't help but stare at him. He looked like he was sculpted out of grey marble by Michelangelo himself. Sweat from the sun already beaded down his tight chest, even if it was only the beginning of February. The water reached to his ankles when he stopped, realizing how…how…

"GAH!" he yelled, and then sprinted back out of the water and back onto the white sand.

Lanie was almost doubling over in laughter, even if Pitch wasn't finding it amusing at all. He was rather annoyed. But let's remember…he's Pitch Black, the Nightmare King. Boogeyman extraordinaire. With one thought, a nightmare horse appeared by his side, looking at him for approval. He nodded in Lanie's direction, and with a wave of his hand, the nightmare charged.

Lanie stopped laughing when she saw the horse charging straight at her. She screamed and ran to the side, but the horse followed her. Lanie slid a bit but caught her footing before she could fall into the icy water. Now she was laughing out of glee and fear, filling in spaces for screams. She turned again, and the horse pursued. She was about to get to ankle deep water when the horse finally caught up with her. With one motion, he scooped up Lanie with his muzzle and threw her backwards; making her do a half flip before landing on her bottom in the freezing water. The horse snickered, splashing at the ground teasingly. Lanie spit out salty water out of her mouth and sat up, hair hiding her face.

Pitch chuckled at her, and then turned towards his steed, "Bad, Brutus. You're a naughty horse." He petted Brutus's nose, and he snorted happily in reply. When Pitch looked over back towards his wife, he noticed how she wasn't laughing anymore. She was just sitting there, with her hair draping over her face still.

"Uh oh…" he sucked air through his teeth, thinking he went too far.

After dissolving Brutus back into nothingness, he ran into the cold water to see if she was okay. He kneeled down and touched her shoulder. She didn't reply.

"Lanie? I'm sorry, I was just having a little bit of fun." He apologized, brushing back her hair from her face.

He was rewarded with a devious grin from her. Trickery literally flickered in her eyes. Swiftly, she gripped his arm and flung him over her, making him land on his back in the ankle-deep water. He was stunned at her strength, and once he had his head out of the water, started coughing up salt water. She crawled over to him and straddled his waist. She still wore that smug smile. He so badly wanted to wipe that off with a good, crushing kiss.

"Apology accepted, lover boy." She smiled, stroking his chest affectionately.

"You better be careful, Lanie." He smirked at her, enjoying the flirty look she was casting him.

"Why?"

He got a hold of her and flipped her onto her back. The waves pushed them closer to the shore, so the tides graciously made Lanie's short hair flow like a halo. Her wet, shining skin, her shirt sticking to her chest and her glittering, smiling eyes made Pitch crave for her so badly, it must've sent a signal. Lanie grinned mischievously.

"Feeling excited?" she touched his chin, looking at his lips slyly.

"Very…and you should be cautious because you would never know when I'm about to pounce." He bit her finger softly. Once she felt his tongue stroke her fingertip, she withdrew, becoming prudent.

"Scared?" Pitch leaned closer to her, letting his nose graze her neck.

"Don't tease me, Pitch." Lanie snapped, and she kissed him hard. Before he could even beg for her to speak French, she pushed him off her, "Now stop distracting me. I want to have fun!"

He sat on the wet sand, watching her back as she sprang up.

"So that wasn't fun, huh?" he may have smirked at his teasing, but he was somewhat hurt.

But when she winked back at him, he knew he was fine. "I didn't mean it like that. Maybe…we could finish that later." She turned back towards the beach dunes, thinking of starting a sand picture.

"Hold on, hold on. Finish….completely?" Pitch scrambled up and gawked at her, both surprised and elated.

"Hmm…maybe. I am your wife after all." She smiled, and then happily skipped back towards the cave where they came from.


	25. Chapter 25

**aaahhh, it feels great when I have all this free time for y'all! :D Well! Yurpadoodles, this is chapter 25. Heed my warning, chapter 26 is going to be extremely steamy, but not to the point where it should be rated M. Enjoy and have a nice day!**

Behind Lanie's back, Pitch worked hard, and that hard work was all for her. He knew deep down she was disappointed he didn't like Christmas and never in his immortal life wanted to celebrate it, but that didn't mean Lanie should have the same contempt he has for the holiday. But since the gift he was giving her was bigger than he thought, he missed Christmas entirely. He was ashamed of himself for not getting the work done, but he knew he couldn't stop. So when he'd finish his daily rounds of giving nightmares or let his steeds do the dirty work themselves, he'd come home, patiently be with his wife, and then go check how the project is coming along.

Pitch dug his heels into the sides of Zephyr as they landed, causing the nightmare to slow to a halt. Pitch jumped down and onto a dirt road, the dust swirling around his ankles. Although it was twilight, his sharp eyesight could clearly make out the scene in front of him. The present he was giving Lanie stood proud and tall, about halfway done. He would catch glimpses of his fearlings carrying in supplies to get walls or other structures done, and the extra nightmares bore the heavy materials to get the job done. This gift was surrounded by a dark forest, where the Moon shone brilliantly in the dull sky. All the trees were a perfect height, so he and Lanie could come out after dinner, lie on the grass and watch the stars like they did on their first date. He smiled at the thought, and then looked over at the garden. It looked as if the fearlings just finished planting in elegantly curving weeping willows and apple trees, including a few flower beds. He smirked. They knew they had to please their master, so they including creepy, winding ivy up the trees and sneaking along the path leading out of it. A fountain was put in the center, small enough to fit but big enough to splash feet in. The cantera fountain shone from the water dripping down the sides, as well as spouting warm, glittering water into the pool below.

Two nightmares trotted up to Pitch, shaking their mane happily.

_How is it, Master?_ The bigger nightmare, Caius asked.

"Good enough. Have the Guardians spotted you working on this?" Pitch folded his hands professionally.

Cybil, Caius's twin nightmare from the same victim, nodded. Pitch's heart thumped.

"Who?!" he ordered.

_Just the Sandman. He does not mind, but he did take out a few of us who charged at him._

"Dammit," Pitch hit his fist into his open palm, "How could I be so stupid?" he thought for a moment, and then turned back to Caius, "Has Lanie found out."

_The Mistress has not, yet. When will she?_

"One of the holidays I dread the most."

_Christmas?_ Cybil asked.

"No."

_Easter? _Zephyr, who was eavesdropping, questioned.

"Shut up, no...Valentine's Day."

Ten hours. TEN HOURS. Those two words were pressing into Lanie's brain, making a headache appear. She rubbed her head as she paced the floor. She stopped, a thought entering her head. She snarled, and then continued walking about. _Great. I feel like my mother._

She plopped down into a chair and tucked her legs close to her chest, resting her head on her knees. _What's taking him so long? He said he would be back by eleven._ Lanie closed her eyes and wished for patience just as Onyx trotted in.

The filly-formerly known- was as giddy as possibly. She literally pranced when she came into the master bedroom. Seeing Lanie's saddened expression didn't stop her glee.

_Hey, Mistress! Look at me! I've grown!_ Onyx said with glee, trotting in place.

Lanie looked up, and to her surprise, did not see her filly called Onyx. She saw a beautiful nightmare Onyx. Her freakishly yellow eyes glowed like the sun, something the other stallions would sure like. Lanie smiled and let her feet fall to the floor.

"Congratulations, Onyx!" Lanie clapped. She smiled when Onyx did a pose, "My! You've really changed!"

_We all do; even you, Lanie. Remember how you started off with us? _Onyx became serious, knowing full well what Lanie was going through at the moment.

The Boogeyman's wife pondered for a minute, thinking deeply on the past. She remembered she was terrified of the nightmares during the first two or three months. But then she opened up to them…the same time she did with Pitch.

Within a snap, she knew what change had to be done. At night, Pitch would whisper to her how he longed for a family, how he waited so long for someone to love, and he waited long enough.

_I can't outlive him. It's time…He's given me everything. Now it's my turn to give something back._ Lanie thought. And with that said, she smiled brightly.

Pitch just then burst into the room, and by the way the doors flew open and the look on his face, something was wrong. She leaped up from her chair and ran over, holding his shoulders to see if he was alright.

"I can't believe this." He muttered, glaring at his feet.

"Pitch-"

"I'm sorry for not coming home soon enough; I know you must've been worried." Pitch gave a sad look towards her, and she sighed. Before she could put her hand on his cheek to calm him down, he already stormed off in the middle of the bedroom, leaving her wondering what happened.

"It's just that…that stupid, ignorant-!" Pitch punched a pillow with each word.

"Sandman?" Lanie smirked, liking Pitch's startled face.

"How did you know I was talking about him?" he stared at her in not shock, but in awe.

Lanie shrugged and beamed at him. She walked towards him and rested her hands on his chest, and he immediately held her wrists tenderly.

"I'm your wife, and I know things." She smiled, quoting her own mother.

"Ooh, you're good." He laughed for a minute, but then that frown came back onto his lips.

He was about to let his head drop to look at his feet again, but Lanie caught his chin with her finger, making him look at her right in the eyes. She smiled lovingly, and then hugged him tight. Once she felt his arms wrap around her back, one thought came into her mind.

_This is it._

"It's just…I've been thinking about you, Lanie." Pitch said, trying to keep himself under control.

"Oh?" she looked up. Pitch could faintly make out a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

"You and me, in fact." He continued, getting lost in her green eyes.

She smiled, knowing exactly where this was going. He did too. And darn, did they want it bad.

Both of her hands were now firmly pressed on his chest, his hands holding her elbows. Their mouths were just centimeters apart.

"It's about Christmas." He murmured huskily.

Lanie pulled away.

"I'm coming clean, Pitch. I was disappointed you didn't let me do anything for that. You know how much that holiday means to me." Lanie folded her arms, annoyed that the moment was gone.

She noticed his fist clench tightly, his knuckles turning white. He really looked strained. He was looking everywhere but her.

"I…I know. It was wrong of me. Just because I don't like it, doesn't mean I can take it from you." He finally said.

Lanie looked up from underneath her lashes, like a puppy towards its master. Pitch gave a small, awkward smile. He touched Lanie's cheek, relishing the feeling of her smooth skin. He enjoyed it when she closed her eyes and more than willingly nuzzled her cheek against his hand.

_Why can't I just tell her now? I have no patience. Do I have to wait until Valentine's Day?_ He pondered, taking his wife in for another embrace.

Something was telling them no, that it wasn't time. Even if they wanted to, it's as if a little voice was chanting, "I'm not ready yet!" and their mind would yell back, 'Well, we are!'

They pulled away, Pitch still cupping her face in his hands and their chests touching. They both smiled, knowing they were thinking the same thing.

Meanwhile, Jack Frost sat out on the frozen cliff of the North Pole quietly, holding his staff resolutely into the ground while his legs dangled off the side. North saw how upset he was when he came back, and when Jack confided him in what he saw and how he thought it was unfair such an evil man got the goods, North knew it was time for him to have a mature ponder by himself. At first he protested, claiming he was fine and just needed a rest, but soon, even he knew it was best for him.

He smiled, lowering his head as if to nod. He heard her wings flutter even before she made it purposefully noticeable. Tooth sat airborne, but level besides Jack. She didn't want to freeze her bottom too badly. She blushed, as usual, whenever she was close to him. Who wouldn't next to a charming, child-friendly boy with a beautiful complexion? Even mini fairies would faint when he would blink. She gently brushed a feather back into its position, and then looked at Jack. He continued to look troubled.

"I'm all ears, Jack." She simply said.

"I…I don't know what to say…" he stated.

She turned away for a minute to look at the moon. It seems as if Manny's looking in a different direction. She looked back at Jack, who was staring into space. Well, more likely towards the giant cavernous ice that shielded the Pole from intruders. Jack fiddled with the strings of his sweatshirt before speaking.

"Is it really possible for such a bad man to end up with a woman with a caring heart?" Jack asked.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Jack, even Pitch. We didn't really give him one. You saw how devastated he looked when Jamie ran right through him." Tooth rested a comforting hand on his shoulder, "You know exactly what that feels like."

"All too well…but unlike me, he deserves it." Jack muttered.

"Think of it this way, Jack," Tooth hovered in front of him, meeting his gaze straight on, "what does Lanie think of him? Think of why she loves him and how she can deal with him. She sees a side we never get to see-"

"All the more reason why I _don't_ want to see it." He snapped, standing up.

Tooth flew in front of him before he could walk back to North's workshop. She put her hands on her hips and frowned at the ice boy. He grinned.

"You're not very good at looking mature." He chuckled.

"That's not my goal, Jack." She stated, looking away.

Jack sighed, then walked around Tooth and continued his walk towards the workshop, but Tooth blocked him again.

"Jack, please listen to me." She then this time put both hands on his shoulders to push him to a halt. Once he did, she took a deep breath.

"Maybe it would be best if you just leave them alone. Let Pitch deal with himself and see if Lanie can help him become a better person. Manny says we can't do anything to stop them. He has a plan for them that we can't control." Tooth quickly rushed.

Jack shook his head, but Tooth caught his chin. He smirked when she blushed, and she grinned back.

"You catch my drift?" she giggled.

"I catch your drift, Toothy." He laughed, and then playfully punched her arm.

They raced back into the workshop, hoping some of North's elves could fix them hot coco or a chocolate milkshake, respectively.

Meanwhile, Sandman was writing in his daily journal back at the Island. He looked up at the sky grateful for its clearness. He smiled at the moon, and then bent his head back to the sand-bound journal. No one could break into it, for it would disintegrate into a pile of sand if it wasn't him. He touched the sand feather to his chin, thinking. Then re-read his latest day update:

_February 4__th__, 2013_

_ It seems that my theories were correct. The Boogeyman is indeed changing. And oddly enough, and cheesy to a degree, it was all because of a girl. She doesn't realize how special she is. Due to my connections with Man in Moon, she is to play an important role in his life, as well as ours. Is she to be a Guardian? We won't know until she becomes immortal, which makes my brain reel. Will she even get that chance? Becoming something like us is surely a blessing many would dream of. The images He sent on the terrazzo of North's Workshop still linger in my mind. I have a hunch, something both good and bad will occur. As the man who creates dreams, perhaps I can tap into Pitch's and Nalanie's dreams and see what point they're at in life. For all I know, they could have that inseparable bond. If Man in Moon blocks me from their dreams, then he must be planning something big. I cannot help but feel curious. I need to know…_

Sandman paused. He rubbed out the word 'need' and inserted 'want', then continued:

_I want to know what is to become of not only them, but of us. That new image on the terrazzo, must be a new coming spirit we will meet soon. I pray for them, and I pray that the Boogeyman will soon see the light side his girl brings to him. As usual, good night, and pleasant dreams._

_Sincerely,_

_ Sanderson Mansnoozie_

_P.S. I also pray that Jack Frost's limitless anger would soon quench. I cannot understand why he wants to ruin Pitch Black now rather than back in the Nightmare War._

He smiled; another one of his finest works was done. Writing seemed to come easily to him, as well as charades. Never has he once wished for the gift of tongue, of voice. Even before his time as Sandman, which the memories are faint, he didn't like to speak. He looked up at the sky, the moon shining brightly against the blackness littered with stars.

_I know whatever you are doing, _he thought, _is for the good for us all. You always know what you are doing, even in times of doubt. I thank you for your guidance._

It almost seemed like the Moon smiled down at him, a reassuring smile.

It was around 5:34 in the morning when Sandman sent two dreamsand strands to the lair where Pitch and Lanie slept. Apparently one of them put up a fight, obviously not wanting to sleep, but they finally gave in. Sandman smirked. Must've been the Nightmare King himself. Even he needed dreams, and the little man knew that. He loved how Lanie accepted the dreams he sent without hesitation, as if she needed them. Of course she does. Everyone should. He hovered on his sand cloud above the spot where Pitch's lair is. Although the entrance where Kimi entered and where Lanie herself would enter and exit was in Blackbird Forest, Pitch's lair was centered underneath Venice, Italy. So once Sandy was done sending other dreams to children of Italy, he turned towards the couples' dream strands, and he touched the first one. Only one thought arrived in his mind as he touched it.

_I hope I'm not being a creep._

Apparently the dream strand he touched was Lanie's. He was whirled into her mind, and he ended up floating right behind her. Even if he was a mute, he held his breath, hoping she wouldn't turn around and see him. From his magic, he could see Lanie smile brightly. She saw someone in the distance. Immediately, she started running.

Sandman literally had to push his hands through the air like a swimmer in order to keep up with her. _Boy, she's one fast runner!_

At the top of the hill, stood a man cloaked in black. Sandman stopped, and then darted into the edge of the golden green forest, behind a giant, elegant tree. He witnessed the man laugh and open his arms to embrace Lanie. Once she was within reach, he twirled her up in the air before setting her back down on the ground, kissing her lovingly. Sandman smiled, but then became serious as he observed the man.

_I know it's Pitch, but…he looks different._ He thought, peeking a bit further from behind the tree.

Pitch was still cloaked in his signature robe, but it seemed richer and curled in the wind. On his shins and covering the top of his knees were gold leg guards, and he had a gold belt and a thick, gold necklace that spanned the base of his neck to the top of his chest and shoulders, like an Egyptian king.

_That must've been him in the early ages. Poor chap._ Sandy gave a small frown, but a smile soon followed when he and Lanie clasped hands.

Pitch whispered something into her ear, and she blushed and smiled.

Suddenly, a high pitched squeal sounded from down below the hill. Both Lanie and Pitch turned towards the sound, and to Sandy's startled curiosity, they beamed. Sandy soon saw a nightmare galloping down the meadow carrying a white form on its back, and for a minute, thought it was going to attack them. Before he could conjure his magical sand whips, the nightmare slowed to a happy trot and then stopped.

The white form, whilst giggling, hopped off, tripping on the tall grasses. Pitch chuckled, looking at Lanie, who stepped closer to the edge of the hill to make sure the little white form was okay.

The form laughed at itself, and then clumsily got up. It ran as fast as it could towards the couple, sliding a bit on the silky grass. Lanie laughed, then scooped up the little form into her arms and tossed it into the air. It squealed with glee, and laughed when it was caught in her arms again. It snuggled into the crook of Lanie's shoulder, but held out a hand towards Pitch. The Boogeyman smiled and let the little one hold his index finger, it's tiny hand was big enough to only hold one.

A thought occurred to Lanie, and for a minute, Sandy grew worried. Did she realize this was a dream? Was she about to wake up? No. It was far from that. She turned towards Pitch, a look of expectancy on her gentle face. He glanced back at her, and with a smile, nodded back.

Before their very eyes, the white form grew smaller, as if it was aging backwards. It shrunk to the size of a baby, cradled in her arms. Since it reached its shrinking limit, it disintegrated into a single strand and flew up into the air. It curled, and then soared back towards Lanie's happy face. Pitch took a step back, a look of hope written on his face.

The spirit strand struck Lanie, entering her right through her stomach, and she staggered back for a minute before gaining her posture. She felt her stomach, and then beamed up at Pitch. He looked confused.

With a deep breath, Lanie spoke, "I know what the gift is."

Even if Sandy was majorly confused, Pitch's face brightened. Never before has he seen Pitch so happy, so full of hope and delight. He grasped her shoulders and kissed her firmly, and Lanie seemed to smile against his lips.

Sandy smiled. With one look back, he altered back into his reality, and he found himself sitting back on his sand cloud. When he looked down, his smile grew to a grin.

Both of the two dream strands he sent became one, and they were thicker and stronger. He looked up at the Moon, and he swore he could faintly make out a knowing smile on MiM.

_I see now. Whatever you have planned, you have ready. Good job, Manny._ Sandman nodded in the direction of the Moon's gleam, then changed the direction of the sand cloud towards the west, the sliver of sun already warming his golden back.


	26. Chapter 26

**Yup, this it. "The big four, all in one place. I'm a little star struck." Sorry, that was an unnecessary random quote...that I love to death. Oh, and don't quote "go suck an egg, rabbit" in school. Learned that the hard way. World Civ teacher deserved it though. ;) NYAH ANYWAYS! Here's le chapter you so desire. Um, yeah, not as steamy as I thought it would be. No steam. Not even heat. Heh heh...but none the less, it implies! (Sorry darthcat, no details)...to Mystichawk: one of your reviews inspired me to write a funny part in this. Maybe you can find it. ;)**

**Before I let you guys go, I just wanna thank you for sticking to this story from the beginning. It means a lot to me. I was wondering if you can help my good friend Ghostgirl221. She wrote a story and I think it's really good, and I want people to realize her talent in writing. It would mean the world to both me and Ghostgirl221. Thanks guys, and have a nice day!**

Although Valentine's Day was a day of love and cherishing the presence of their loved ones, this day was the unluckiest of all. Yes, Valentine's Day had nothing to do with luck, but Lanie could help but think as she heard the thunder from above, _how unlucky._

Even Pitch was devastated. How was he supposed to show Lanie his new gift to her? Her one chance to live in a home where light can shed through, where both baths and showers were available, and where they could grow a family was put on hold. He made sure he was in a separate room to let out his irritation and anger at the weather, cursing at climate changes and himself for not working quickly enough.

Although they were underground, they could easily make out the thunder and rain. Occasionally a thunder strike would spook Lanie, and if one was loud enough, Pitch's hair on the back of his neck would stand up. Boy, did he love thunder storms. The thrill of it all! He knew a handful of kids hated thunderstorms and were scared of them easily. He felt stronger during those, well, practically any bad weather. Hurricanes, tornadoes, thunder storms, and strong blizzards sent enough fear to satisfy his need for at least a week's length. But this time, he was annoyed at how it messed up his plans. Was this Karma? Apparently.

However, that didn't stop him from having fun. When Lanie was down in the recreational room, he snuck in through a sliver of darkness that was mere inches from her. He knew a thunder strike was about to smash through the sky soon, and he slyly took a position behind her. He balanced on his heels, lifting his arms up halfway to be prepared for the big moment.

While Lanie innocently decorated her painting, Pitch evilly sneered. Ooh, he was gonna get her good. He took in an amount of air into his lungs, and held it for two seconds. The timing was golden.

A loud clap of thunder, almost like a boulder landing on solid granite, marble and metal rang throughout the chamber. He matched the noise with a loud,

"BOO!"

Lanie let out a scream, jumping up in the air. Her paintbrush clattered to the floor along with the palette. Pitch cackled at his work, and then noticed he was in hot water.

"Uh oh…" his happy face fell.

"UH OH DAMN RIGHT, PITCH BLACK!" her face was literally red with rage.

Around the lair they went, one laughing in fear and glee of being chased and having his fun of fear, the other shouting profanity towards herself and the weather for keeping her cooped up inside. It was unfair how Lanie couldn't mold into the shadows like he did, and that left her grumbling until he would reappear somewhere else, smiling at her as if she was having a blast like he was.

She just made it up to the top of the stairs when Pitch made sly signal with his hand. She saw it happen, though. She looked up at Pitch with fear written all over her face.

"Pitch, no-!"

Fearlings shot out from the dark corners of the rooftops and wrapped around her legs and waist, causing her to flip upside down and hang there from her bindings. She flailed her arms while screaming, and Pitch chuckled. After his laugh, he witnessed Lanie watching him sourly, her arms folded across her chest. Nightmare sand was accidentally sprinkled on her mouth and nose, making her look even more adorable.

He laughed as he walked up to her, and then smiled at her.

She has no idea how, but his smile always seems to soften her, even if she was mad. Her crinkled eyebrows softened a bit, but the frown didn't falter. _Remember Lanie, you're mad at him for scaring you. Don't…smile. He may be cute and trying to get you to, but you gotta be strong! Show him who's boss_! Lanie thought.

"Aw, are you not having fun like I am?" Pitch chuckled, stroking her cheek.

"Come on, that thunder was scary enough." Lanie snapped, not looking away from him.

He wiped nightmare sand away from her nose and kissed her there. She watched him, she being upside down and him right side up. Following that kiss was a peck on her forehead, and he smiled into her eyes.

"You know I was only kidding around." He murmured.

"Ugh…that's just not fair, though." Lanie pouted.

"Oh? And what would that be?" he grinned.

"How am I gonna get you back?" Lanie smirked at her question.

Pitch grinned, then took his hand and wiped the rest of the nightmare sand off her face gently.

"You know very well how to get me back. And you know I want it as much as you do." He said, eyeing her lips seductively.

Lanie let a small laugh ring from her mouth before he kissed her, lingering there on her lips. _Hmmmm…forget angry. I'm okay now._ Her mind sighed, and she felt her bindings loosen. Before she could fall to the floor, Pitch caught her in her arms, cradling her close to his chest.

Lanie smiled and looked up at him, knowing full well what he wanted. But then her smile faltered. _But…am I? The risks…everything…_

She squirmed out of Pitch's hold and stood firmly, shifting her posture just a tad bit.

"Um, I should uh, probably take a bath." She gestured towards the bathroom, not meeting his gaze.

"Alright, my dear. Have fun." He winked, and then walked back downstairs.

While soaking in the bath, Lanie pinched her skin to see if she was dreaming. _Is this all for real? How can this be possible?_ Never before had she thought a man would want to hold her that physically close like Pitch wanted to. Even at the thrill of the thought, she was scared. She was nervous as hell. Who wouldn't be? She didn't know one thing about…that. Nor did she want to overthink it. She shook her head, and then ducked underwater to get the rest of the shampoo out of her brown hair.

"Does he want a baby, is the question…" she said to herself aloud.

She didn't care. She knew Pitch talked to himself from time to time, just to make sure he's sane. She giggled at the thought. She found it cute how he talked in his sleep, and he doesn't even know. She remembered a few nights ago when she woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and she heard Pitch mumbling in his sleep.

She struggled not to laugh. She remembered how she had to almost run out of the room, close the bathroom door and laugh quietly at his sleep talk. It didn't make any sense! But when she came back and crawled back into bed, the laughter quickly died away. He mumbled something that freaked her out.

"Six kids, please…isn't it…four more…"

_Dang, I hope he doesn't actually want six kids._ Lanie's eyes widened at the thought. One child was her dream. Anything beyond that seemed…impossible. Imagine that, her and Pitch chasing a bunch of toddlers around to keep them under control. She giggled at the thought.

"Kids, don't run with nightmare sand!" she would call.

"Eat your Almond Joys." They would command during dinner.

"Lanie! One of our precious little angels has dropped excrement." Pitch would groan, looking at the messy spot.

Lanie had to sit down on the bottom of the pool from all her laughter at the thought. It was too visually funny. _Alright, it would be fun. But there isn't any way we're having six kids!_

She finally got out and changed into her nightgown. She brushed her hair as she exited the bathroom, and noticed a sudden absence. She peeked into their shared room, but he wasn't there.

"Pitch?" she questioned the empty air.

She quickly ran down the stairs, looking around for her husband. _Where could he be?_ She sprinted into the main chamber, and quickly skidded to a halt.

Pitch was having a stare down with Tooth.

"Oh boy…" Lanie sucked air through her teeth, and then slowly walked up to them.

Pitch looked furious. Whatever Tooth was saying to him didn't matter to him.

"Look, I just came to warn you, that's all." Tooth snapped nervously.

"Why should I accept your help? For all I know, you could punch me again." He spat acidly.

"That was for my fairies!" Tooth folded her arms crossly.

"What's going on?" Lanie piped up.

Tooth and Pitch looked at her, and then glared back at each other. Before the tooth fairy could tell her, Pitch beat her to it.

"Nothing. She was just leaving." Pitch turned slightly away, showing that the conversation was over.

"Pitch, please! I'm just-!"

"An annoying bird brain? Yes, I knew that. Now get out. You're lucky I tolerate your presence when I'm not around here. It's bad enough Frost plagues my home with his so called acceptance of the Guardians." Pitch stopped her voice with his hand up.

"Pitch, what is she talking about?" Lanie asked seriously, holding his shoulder.

Tooth opened her mouth, but then closed it. For a minute, she looked like she was going to leave in tears, but then her face became strong. She folded her arms and floated in the air, giving off an aura of strength.

"I'm not going anywhere, _Pitch._" She spat out his name as if it was cold dinner food.

"I'll be happy to give the same threat I gave your fairy friends. I'll stuff a pillow with you if you don't high tail it out of here." He jerked a thumb in the direction of the stairs.

"No! Not until you tell Lanie what I told you!" she shot back, pointing at the girl.

"Tell me what?" Lanie asked again, but was ignored.

"I'll tell her once you leave!" He took a threatening step towards her, making Tooth back up a bit.

They continued a quarrel Lanie had no idea what it was about. And mostly, the quarrel was about something dangerous that he had to tell his wife pronto. Of course, the tooth fairy didn't know of that. Lanie sighed, and then stepped closer to Pitch.

"'Scuse me!?" Lanie tapped his shoulder tediously.

"What?" Pitch breathed, feeling a head ache coming.

"Mind telling me what the heck is going on?!" she put her hands on her hips, glaring him down for ignoring her.

Pitch sighed, and his look of defeat shocked Tooth. He looked up at her with an expression she didn't know existed in his soul.

"Please, Tooth…I'll…I'll tell her." He shirked his eyes away from her fierce magenta ones.

Tooth shut her mouth, surprised at what the couple brought to her knowledge.

"Fine…" she muttered, "Nice seeing you again, Lanie!" she waved at her, and the girl waved back.

With that, the magical fairy was gone. Only the pitter patter of rain against the world above them could shatter the silence. Lanie turned towards Pitch, obviously annoyed.

"Very nice, Pitch." She complimented sarcastically.

"What? I told you becoming friends with a Guardian is a bad idea." He said, not looking at her.

Lanie had enough. Something in her snapped. Something in both her heart and mind told her it was now or never, for both occasions. She stomped up to Pitch, forcefully turned him around and held his chin with her hand. He looked surprised for a few seconds, then ashamed.

"Tell me right now what's going on." She ordered.

He sighed, and plucked her hand away from his face. He walked a distance away, his hands folded behind his back. She waited, somewhat patient for some explanation.

"Remember those stories I told you about Jamie Bennett? How he ruined my uprising?" he started.

"Yes. You also mentioned you sent him a few nightmares as revenge." Lanie bit her lip at the thought.

_The thought of the kid crying in the middle of the night…he's just a child._ Images of a sweaty, little boy screaming in the dead of night shook her mind. It wasn't fair. Sure, kids need fear in order to grow up. But Pitch was only doing it in the form of revenge. She remembered him telling her that he even sent a few nightmares to his sister, Sophie. The stories he told of these children made her wish she knew them. They sound so innocent, so full of hope and wonder…

"Jack found out." He flinched for a reaction.

Lanie held her breath, wide eyed. How could he? Wait, think back. He's best friends with the Bennett family. Jamie must confide a lot of stuff with the winter boy. If Jack found out…

Before Lanie could choke out a question, Pitch broke.

"I swear to God, it's not my fault. One of my nightmares got out of control. It combined both Jamie's and Sophie's fears and then went to their parents. The combined nightmare scared their father so much, he had a heart attack."

"Pitch!" Lanie ran up to him and turned him around. He winced at her horrified face, "is he okay?!"

"Tooth told me their father was in the hospital and he was fine! I swear! Please, Lanie, it's not my fault. That nightmare was one of my worst creations yet." Pitch closed his eyes, already being overwhelmed with guilt.

"What…what was the nightmare called?" Lanie shook with rage.

"Adalbern." Pitch said sadly, looking away.

Within a flash, Lanie got her sword and was back downstairs, the silver weapon gripped tightly in her hand. _I know it's not Pitch's fault. But no one deserves a scare like that. That Adalbern will pay. One, for messing with two kids, two for joining fears, and three for nearly killing their father._ Her mind reeled.

"ADALBERN!" she shouted.

The nightmare slowly drew out of the shadows, knowing what was coming. Pitch joined in, his anger broiling forth.

"We put fear to gain strength, not to kill others for the fun of it." He said stonily.

_M-master, but he was the bringer of Jamie and Sophie, the cause of your downfall. If anything, he deserves it along with his wife._

Pitch's eyes widened, staggering back at the nightmare's words. Even when Lanie lunged into the air and swung her sword through Adalbern's torso, causing him to disintegrate, he was tormented by those words.

_If anything, he deserves it along with his wife…he deserves it along with his wife…_

Pitch held his head, pain ricocheting through his nerves. Lanie looked back at her husband, and saw he was in trouble. He turned and balanced himself against a rock slab that he normally used for a table.

"Jack…" his heart beat quickened with- _no, I'm not afraid. I cannot feel fear. It can't be done._

"Pitch, what's wrong?" Lanie was right next to him, greatly worried at her husband's odd behavior.

"I think Jack wants to kill us." Pitch whispered hoarsely.

Lanie drew in a breath, and then calmly looked up at him. He looked…scared. He looked like he was in danger.

"Lanie…what am I to do? Even Tooth knows it's not my fault. Everyone knows except him."

Lanie rested a hand on his shoulder, hoping it would comfort him just a bit. He looked at her, worry creasing his forehead.

"Yes, but everyone else has common sense. He's a teenager, they're not. They've had a longer time to deal with you. He doesn't know how to deal with an enemy like they do." She hugged his arm, trying to make him smile. All attempts were fails.

"Lanie…I have a terrible feeling." He murmured, watching his beautiful wife look up at him affectionately.

"You have no reason to worry. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. As long as the Guardians can control him, we're okay," she held the side of his face, bringing their foreheads to touch, "Besides. You are stronger than him; know that more kids can see you than they can see him. He's just-"

"Lonely." He finished, knowing her exact words.

She smiled, and then held his hand, "Right. And you're no longer that. He doesn't have people to tell him 'I love you' like you do."

Pitch finally cracked a small smile, and Lanie beamed back at him.

"I finally figured out why Jack keeps on bothering you." Lanie whispered, their faces inching closer.

"Yes?" he almost lost his breath.

"He's just lonesome, and finds it unfair how you've got the family you've always wanted." She smiled, looking right into his silver-gold eyes.

"Not yet, my love." He smiled brightly.

With that, he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her bridal style. Lanie's heart hammered against her chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He carried her up the stairs, careful not to drop her. They entered their bedroom, and he dropped her on the bed with a clever smile. As he leaned over her to gently kiss her lips, the grand doors closed, shutting them away from prying eyes and the world momentarily.


	27. Chapter 27

Weeks passed, and for some odd reason, the rain did not. Thunder no longer rolled overhead or struck any trees, thank heavens. But the rain still lingered. Once it became the last week of February, the rain was then a little drizzle and fog. Sometimes the sun would peek out, and then an hour later, disappear behind another rain cloud. It didn't make any sense to Lanie, because it wasn't even April. Though, it was just around the corner, it wasn't time yet for this weather.

_Same thing I thought during that October storm a long time ago, but it happened._ She thought with an eye roll.

Something about Lanie was different today. She felt absolutely chipper! Despite the sour weather, she was in a peppy mood, occasionally twirling just to get some energy out. Let's face it; she's that type of girl. She started off her day perfectly in her opinion. She kissed her husband goodbye before he left to spread fear, she took a tiny nap, she then had a lovely bath making her feel refreshed, and she rode Onyx for the first time.

It stunned her at how Onyx controlled herself while carrying the Boogeyman's wife on her back. She was completely professional! When Lanie would gently kick her sides, Onyx would immediately react by leaping into the air, causing Lanie's stomach to lurch with adrenaline. She flew smoothly, not once shaking Lanie off her back or anything bad. As a test, Lanie drove her through the cages above, and she was mighty proud at how she easily angled and avoided collision with the elegant confinements.

Lanie just finished her lunch of calzones and egg salad and was skipping down the stairs when something flashed in the distance. She paused, putting a hand over her eyes to see well.

The flash swooped through the cages overhead, causing them to annoyingly jangle with untimely music.

Since she and Pitch were now bonded, she was no longer a mortal; no longer human. Though part spirit, many could still see her. She had no importance like the Guardians did, such as Hope or Wonder or Memories. She didn't know if she had any importance as a new spirit, but yet here she was: Immortal. And she will forever stay by Pitch's side and aid him through his times of hardships and fight with him against the Guardians. She was happy, nay, overjoyed at the thought of never dying and being like the rest of them. Even Pitch shared that thrill along with her. He would joke around with her during dinner,

_"You know what that means, my love?" he smirked._

_Lanie raised an eyebrow, "It means many things, but I have no clue what you're thinking of at the moment." She smiled back._

_"This means that I don't have to worry about kissing an old lady." He said with a sly smile._

_Lanie threw a bread roll at his head as he laughed._

She smiled brightly as she leaped into the air, and she hovered. Like Jack Frost-though she didn't know-Wind helped her hover in the air and fly from here to there. She also was blessed with better eyesight, and she was darn thankful for that. Her eyesight before was just a tad off, but she could see as well as Pitch could in the dark. Lanie could also manipulate Pitch's nightmare sand to her will, like she could before, only with fewer limits. She was flexible, conserved more energy, and her singing literally put victims under spells. She could control them with her singing, strike fear into their hearts or give them blossoming hope and love. Before, she sung like a high school girl pursuing a field of theatre. Now, she sung like a mix of Loreena McKennit and Melissa Etheridge. She was pleased with her new powers.

As a newly immortal, it was easier to chase this traveling beam of white light that it could as a mortal. She hung by a cage by one hand, her feet planted on the side. She scanned the giant chamber, looking for that weird white light. Finally, her eyes settled on it. It floated calmly on the ground below, watching her with a weird pair of pale blue eyes. It seemed to have a human quality about it, yet it looked nothing like a human at all.

Lanie jumped from her place in the rooftops, and landed like a ninja on the floor. She stood up, brushing off dust on her arms and off the skirt of her dress.

"Quite a workout you're giving me, pal. What're you doing here?" she eyed the white light playfully, hoping to show off a friendly impression so it wouldn't spook.

"To give you a more elaborate message than I gave Pitch, Nalanie Black." The thing seemed to smile, and right before her very eyes, shifted its image.

Now it looked more human than before, but she knew it was still just a spirit, or even a messenger. Though surprised, she didn't show it. She knew she must get used to it if she were to be an immortal. The white light now looked like a short little man, almost to Sandy's height but just a tad bit taller. He reminded her of a baby playing dress up. He was bald except for one single hair curling up into the air, at least five inches long. His eyes were still pale blue, but had an essence of green as well. He wore a fancy suit with a formal, droopy bow tie, the tail ends of his coat dragging on the floor.

Lanie staggered back, unable to hold back her shock.

"M-Man in Moon?!" she whispered hoarsely.

"Correct, my friend. I have come to give you a message, as well as a gift I promised you and Pitch. Are you prepared?" he bowed quickly, showing his respect towards the lady.

_Wow, he's a really serious person. He gets down to details fast._ She thought. She looked up towards the entrance of the lair, worried.

"Don't worry, Nalanie. Although it may seem lengthy, it will only take a few minutes. I promise he won't be home until you are ready. You and he have nothing to worry about." He smiled, pleased that she was showing concern for someone she cares so deeply about.

"Well…o-okay." Lanie turned back towards the stout man, fiddling with her hands.

She watched him take out five small vials from the inside of his coat, each of them small enough to fit inside one's palm. They each were made of glass, but had different designs and look to them. They held a substance inside them that glimmered and swam like the light Man in Moon morphed from, but they each had different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, and purple.

_Hmm…where's blue? It would be the rainbow if blue was there._

"Ah!" he held up his index finger, sitting cross legged on the floor, "so I've seen you noticed the missing blue one. Well, I will be happy to tell you why it's missing."

Lanie joined him on the floor, sitting with her legs tucked under her. She watched him patiently and carefully place each vial next to one another, respectively. But he made a bigger gap between the green and purple, where blue should be.

"Just like the globe the Guardians and Pitch have, these bottles represent a person. But instead of showing a believer, it contains the aura of the person who brought meaning to your life. I am surprised that your parents aren't categorized in this, but everyone's different." He looked at his work, then pointed towards the big gap, "Do you know why the blue is missing?"

"Um…because I haven't met the person yet?" Lanie's guess was more like a question.

"Yes! I'm surprised you got that right. You're a clever girl." He winked at her, showing his friendly side.

"Heh…um, thanks." She blushed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Now, let's take a recap. Do you remember your first date with Pitch, when you both witnessed the blue star being pulled towards the moon?" he folded his hands on his lap.

Lanie nodded, half listening. She was wondering who represented each vial. But finally she looked up, her full attention on the wise man.

"That was the aura from your gift I am to give you. Since you 'bonded'," he put quotation fingers around it, making Lanie blush red, "with Pitch, you are able to withhold this gift."

"This is pretty detailed and elaborate." Lanie cut in, wide eyed with wonder.

Man in Moon chuckled, nodding. His lone hair strand bounced with his movement. He finally gave one last glance towards the five vials, then back at Lanie, who was watching him with curiosity.

"Nalanie, we are going to play a game. I know you like playing games, so I'm going to try it like this. What you will do is that you will pick a vial, and we will enter the life of that person for just one minute. You will ask me questions, and I will do my best to answer them. All of this is to prepare you for your gift." He gestured towards the array.

"Prepare? For-oh well, might as well get this over with." She smiled at her impatience.

Without a thought, she touched the green vial first. By only a finger touch, she and Man in Moon were whirled into a lightened world, like a portal. Within two seconds, they were standing on a beach. Lanie carefully stepped to the left, away from a dead jellyfish. _Crap. I forgot February is dead jellyfish month._

"Where are we?" she turned to Man in Moon, who was searching for someone through the thick crowd. There was a handful of people crowded around one spot, clapping and some of them dancing. Other swimmers and pedestrians came to watch some performance they couldn't see.

"Long Beach, California. Your friend Ninet now lives here." He smiled, just when the crowd was parting.

Before another question could come out of her mouth, at least six dancers jumped into the air and twirled on the spot, dancing to upbeat music Lanie couldn't help but smile at. Just as the dancers huddled into  
a circle, a woman jumped out, and struck a pose while standing on their hands. They let go, and she flipped twice in the air before landing on the sand, her arms up, as if to accept the cheers people were sending for them. She wore a short party dress with dance leggings and converse, completing the look of fancy-but-rebellious. She saluted and then cartwheeled back towards her group of dancers, and they signaled for kids to join in with them.

Lanie's mouth dropped at the woman picked up a little boy and started dancing with him sitting on her shoulders, him laughing and holding on so he wouldn't fall off. He was having the time of his life.

"Who is that with the woman, and who is she?" Lanie asked. She had a feeling she knew the answer.

"That is Ninet Coarsen, one of your very best friends, and that is her son on her shoulders. Her husband and she are professional dancers and they own their own dance studio. They dance in public areas not for attention, but to uplift people's spirits. Her son was diagnosed with autism, and in dedication to you, she started performing for the disabled and split her earnings to send to hospitals for further research on how to treat or prevent autism and Down syndrome."

Lanie's eyes watered. Man in Moon noticed her silence, and held her hand in comfort. Lanie wiped away a tear with her free hand, then beamed back at her first best friend she ever had. She dedicated her life to her? And not only her, but the children who were affected by something so heart wrenching. She looked so happy having her son on her shoulders. When the dance was over and people started going their own ways, one of the male dancers came up to her, smiled at his son and kissed Ninet on the nose. She playfully glared at him, making him snicker.

"Is that her husband?" she asked, pointing to the man who was now having a deep conversation with his son about dinosaurs.

"Yes. His name is Josh. He's been there for Ninet ever since she ran away from home. He understood what she was going through because he lost a sister to a kidnapping. They were instant friends, and they soon got married. Even with the burden of their son's disability, they have never been so happy…" Man in Moon looked up to Lanie, and he noticed tears were streaming down her cheeks like streams.

"Oh! I do beg your pardon, I didn't mean to make you cry." He bit his lip.

"No," she sniffed wiping at her cheeks, "I'm not crying. I'm extremely happy for her. I'm glad she's got this new life she wanted."

Man in Moon looked back at Ninet, Josh and their son, Sebastian. He finally smiled, then looked back up to Lanie. She was right.

"Come, it's time to continue to the next one." He beckoned towards the sea.

Lanie opened her eyes. It felt like a dream, but more like a vision. Man in Moon was sitting like he was before, and he looked at her expectantly. He took the green bottle and tucked it within his coat pocket, then gestured to the rest. Lanie smiled. She was about to touch the purple one, but Manny stopped her.

"If I may, I would like to save that one last." He seemed to smile with hidden secrets as he glanced at the purple vial.

"Huh? Oh, okay then!" she cheerfully said.

Once her finger touched the orange one, they again entered into another world.

This time, they were at a school. This place was so familiar, she had to say it out loud.

"My old middle school!" she exclaimed, looking among the student crowds.

"That's right! Your brother Charlie now attends here, he should be arriving about…now!" he pointed in the direction of the street.

A line of buses came around the corner and parked near the curb, emptying itself with students that carried backpacks and occasionally school projects. Lanie began to get bored. _What am I waiting for? This is just like when I had a crush on Ryan O'Malley back in seventh grade._

But then she heard a high pitch squeal of glee, and that soon followed with high pitched giggling and coos. She looked around her, and saw nearly every girl looking in the direction of the last bus. Many guys looked pleased, but also ticked off the girls were ignoring them.

A boy was walking down the sidewalk, walking with such swag, Lanie had to giggle. He wore black shades and a leather jacket, his hands tucked into his dark jeans. He was chewing on a wad of bubblegum, occasionally blowing a bubble big enough to make a popping noise. His Boston Red Sox backpack hammered against his back, but he was oblivious to the heavy weight.

"Hi, Charlie!" one of the girls nervously waved. Her friends nudged her, egging her on.

"CHARLIE!?" Lanie exclaimed. Her eyes were as big as saucers, causing Man in Moon to laugh.

His blond hair was longer now, almost like Thor from the movies. He smiled a pearly white grin at the girl, stopped and gave a bow.

"Nice to see you, Wendy." He said happily.

Even as he walked on, he didn't notice Wendy almost faint, the girls catching her before she could hit the dirt covered sidewalk.

Another girl piped up, "Charlie, I like your backpack!"

He grinned in the direction of the one who shouted that out, "Thanks! Glad you like it. Your backpack is pretty, too!"

The girl looked at her flower covered backpack with awe, as if it was a gift from God. She held it close to her chest and kept whispering to her, "he likes my backpack! He actually likes it!"

Lanie could not stop laughing now, even Man in Moon couldn't help but join in with chuckles. She finally stopped, holding her sides.

"This is what Charlie's like now? I knew it would happen!" she slapped her knee.

She almost missed it. Another girl, a girl who held no importance to the grade he was in besides cheat off her tests and quizzes, was tripped on purpose. Her books and papers went flying everywhere, causing everyone to stop and stare at her. Even Charlie stopped. She kept her head down, her blond braids shining in the blinding sunlight. She pushed up her thick glasses further on the bridge of her nose and started collecting the papers around her, trying to hold back tears.

"Someone's got to do something! Why isn't anyone doing anything?!" Lanie was about to lunge forward and help, but Man in Moon held her back by her arm.

"Just watch your brother." He said simply.

Lanie paused, her anger not faltering for whoever did that to the poor girl.

Charlie bent down and helped the girl with her books. She looked frightened, watching him with every move. He smiled at her while handing her the folders that fell out of her polka-dotted backpack.

"Hey, I know you! You're Victoria." He grinned at her.

She blushed, then nodded, holding her backpack close to her chest. Charlie finished handing her the textbooks and folders, then helped her stand up by her elbow gently.

"You're in my Science class, right?" he tilted his head to the side.

The girl named Victoria finally cracked a small smile. She coughed nervously, "Um. Yes, I am." She slung her backpack over her shoulder, not looking away from Charlie's green eyes. He couldn't look away from her dazzling grey ones either.

"That's awesome. I love the class, but I need a little help with the anatomy lesson." He friendly chatted, following her to the doors of the school.

"Oh, really? I can help you if you want during our free period." She smiled a cute smile, her red lips shining in the sun.

"Cool! I'd really like that. Thanks , Victoria." Charlie nodded.

He opened the door, and instead of walking in before her, gestured for her to go first. She smiled, bent her head down and walked in, having Charlie smile at her back.

"Hey, have you ever heard of Basshunter?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

Lanie smiled, putting her hands on her hips. She turned towards Man in Moon, who looked pleased at what he saw.

"Where did he learn that shenanigan?" Lanie chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"From you. After many months, he knew you weren't going back home. Although sad about it, he promised he would learn from the things you taught him, and one of them was respect. That really earned him a reputation at his school, though I do think the leather and cool shades could be an accomplice, too." He pondered, tapping his chin with his finger.

"Ha! You think?" she laughed. She turned back towards the school, and through the window, she could see him and Victoria talking, deeply focused on something in a textbook. She knew he was paying absolute attention, but she soon started cracking up when he made sly looks at her lips.

"I'm guessing-?"

"Yeah, he has a crush on her. One of his friends called her a geek, and Charlie almost beat him up for that. Though out of control, he was protective, which is another thing you taught him. He hasn't get grasped onto that." Man in Moon shook his head, a smile on his face.

"Apparently not." Lanie giggled.

Right when they got back, Lanie quickly-and without thinking-touched the red one, excited to see who was up next. She could hear Man in Moon laughing as they warped into another land.

When they landed, they were immediately plopped into chairs. Lanie looked around her. The walls were white with a few pictures of doctors and had posters of kid-like movies. The floor had a thin rug, but was otherwise wood work. Some other adults were reading magazines, watching their kids or quietly talking on the phone. Two toddlers were in the center of the room, both busy drawing with green and purple markers on a coloring book page. One of them had a bandage wrapped around the top of his head, the other looked like she was just getting over the chicken pox. A baby sat on his mother's lap, fast asleep but kicking his little legs, obviously a beginner in sleepwalking. She turned to Man in Moon.

"Where are we now?" she asked, eyeing the closed door suspiciously.

"Jay, Maine, where you grew up. We're in a children's medical center located close by to town. We will leave along with the baby that the mother is holding." Man in Moon pointed in the direction of the infant and tired-looking mother.

Lanie eyed the mother. She looked tired, her hair almost out of her ponytail. She also looked relieved, as if the baby finally was asleep.

Just then, the door swung open and out came a fine looking man in a white coat and grey pants, matched with white, soft soled running sneakers. He looked at his paper, not at the people in the room. His black hair was freshly cut and brushed back, showing his dark green eyes perfectly. Although a little chubby down below, he was a rather handsome gentleman. Lanie didn't need an answer.

"Oh my gosh, that's Colby!" she stood up abruptly.

Colby finally looked up towards the woman with the male infant, who was starting to wake up.

"Mrs. Fiona Wright and Kyle Christopher Wright, the doctor will now see you, please to go room 4." He said straightforwardly, then he left.

Just as the woman and baby exited the waiting room, Lanie and Man in Moon walked behind them, but then served to the right to where Colby was sitting down into his desk chair. He pulled himself closer, and started furiously typing fast on his computer. Although with his autism and how he was saying what was being typed down, he was getting the work done perfectly.

"Kyle Christopher Wright…Date…February 28th, 2013…Time…11:45 A.M…On time…next appointment…" and on he went.

Lanie smiled, "Wow! I'm guessing he learned this from me?"

"Technically from his parents. But his parents would say, 'Lanie would be happy if-' and 'What did Lanie teach you?'. So you kind of were involved with his learning of diligence. He got the job through this organization, and he's already earned a raise. He's only in sophomore year in high school, I might add." Man in Moon smiled up at her, glad to see she was proud of her brother.

"Well, I'll be," she happily folded her arms over her chest, "if he could hear me, I would be telling him how happy I am for him, and how hopefully that haircut will stay short. It looks very good on him."

Man in Moon laughed, but then quickly became serious.

"Now, the only two left are the yellow and purple auras. Since the yellow aura is close by, I'd like to quickly take a glance before continuing to the purple one." He beckoned her towards the door.

It was closed. Knowing she couldn't open it herself since she was a spirit and also a trip into their lives, she looked down at Man in Moon nervously. He smiled warmly and pointed towards the door.

"Be not afraid. Just walk through it!" he smiled.

With one deep breath, she closed her eyes in mid-wince as she walked right through it. She opened her eyes, then gave a quick cheer she didn't smash her nose against the door. Man in Moon soon joined her, then tugged on her dress to pay attention to the event ahead. She soon quieted down, but then almost squealed with joy at who she saw.

It was Kimi.

She was talking to the mother as the baby screamed and flailed around on the baby weighing table, and she looked completely unfazed to the high pitched screams. Lanie was great with kids, and she loved babies as much as a mother would, but she couldn't help but groan in agony and cover her ears. Man in Moon nudged her, telling her to watch closely.

Kimi finally turned to the baby and smiled. The boy infant was too busy screaming and crying.

"Hey, Kyle? You might bust a nerve if you keep on screaming. Don't you worry, we're both glad you're here now! Great place isn't it?" Kimi smiled as she picked up the baby gently into her arms.

The mother gave a small smile.

"I've tried everything, but he won't stop crying. He literally fell asleep a few minutes ago, but then he woke up again."

"Hmmm…" Kimi seemed to think, examining Kyle's disturbed face. She then gently pulled off his diaper, but was met with a healthy and clean bottom. "Has he been pooping normally?"

"Yes, that's the only time he would stop screaming."

"Ok, that shows progress." Kimi nodded, checking the baby's hands and fingers.

Lanie turned towards Man in Moon. "Um, hate to be rude, but isn't this supposed to be private for them?"

"No need to worry. Just wait five seconds." He nodded in the direction of Kimi.

_One. Two. Three. Four. Five?_ She counted.

"A-ha! What have we here?" Kimi cradled Kyle close, eyeing his big toe like it was a golden doubloon. She held out his foot to the mother, "See that thin mark around his toe? That's a hair strand. It seems to be pinching him, so we need to take that off immediately."

Within a few seconds, the baby was finally quiet, staring at Kimi like she was his savior. The mother sighed happily, the silence was warmly welcomed.

"Why is a hair strand so important?"

"Well, even that could cause tissue damage. Since the baby has softer and less protective skin, it's easy for it to become damaged easily for what's underneath. Luckily, we got it just in time! Right, Kyle?" she smiled at the baby.

Kyle made a happy noise then stuck his hand in his mouth, and started to suck on his fingers.

"Also, by that gesture, he's about to start teething." Kimi nodded, handing Kyle over to the now rejuvenated mother.

"Oh, Dr. Allen, thank you so much!" the mother softly cheered.

"Dr. Allen?" Lanie looked to MiM.

"Yes. She's married to someone by the name of Ben, who oddly enough, believes in the Boogeyman as much as she does. This is her last day here as the head doctor, and then she's moving to Virginia Beach where he already lives. She's just finished up packing. You know," he signaled for her to follow him back through the door, "you're the reason she has immense patience now."

"R-really?"

"Mm-hm. If you didn't teach her patience with kids, she would've snapped. Or at least told the mother to do something. But she handled it herself." He chatted, walking down the hallway.

"Gosh…" she muttered in awe.

She opened her eyes, and they were back sitting on the floor. Man in Moon took the red and yellow vial, and tucked it into his pocket like he did with the green one.

"I can't believe-"

"You made an impact on people? Not only have you taught them, but you've also greatly made their lives worth living. All in all, you've taught them to move on. Your lessons gave them the strength to keep you in their hearts while continuing with their lives." He smiled.

He moved the purple vial in the center, and watched it for a while. Lanie watched the violet aura swirl inside, occasionally glittering from time to time.

"Now, this is a new game. But this will be harder than the other ones." He started solemnly.

"What? Why?" she asked. She couldn't help but feel worried.

"This requires a lot of concentration. I cannot come with you this time. You must do this on your own. Though this was a real event this person had to endure, you must be able to pull that person to their senses once the deed is done. You'll know what to do." He looked at her sadly. His lone antenna-like hair seemed to droop like his mouth.

"Wait, why?! I need you to help me." Lanie started becoming even more worried.

"Calm yourself. It'll be okay. Although you will not see me, you will hear me. Just think." He finished.

Before she even touched the vial, she was whirled into the different world just like the previous four. But this time, she landed on a cold hard floor, in total darkness.


	28. Chapter 28

**Another chapter within the hour? HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS THAT?! I love you guys, know that. I just have WAAAAAYYY too much free time on my hands right now. But man, this chapter was so much fun to write! :D Enjoy!**

Lanie coughed, getting up off the ground. Her arm hurt a little bit from the fall, but she was able to shake off the pain. She looked around her setting.

Cages. That's the first thing she saw first. Cages.

For a minute, she thought she was back in the lair and she forgot what happened, but then she noticed the cages were not like the ones she was familiar with. They were more rounded, like pet bird cages. They hung from gold chains, and weird black shadows lurched and moved inside them. Lanie's eyes widened.

"What are Pitch's fearlings doing inside these?" she asked aloud, but the fearlings could not hear her.

_They are not his yet. Remember how Pitch told you he was from the Golden Age?_

"Yes, he was a General. He was highly respected by all." Lanie said, watching the fearlings snicker and whisper among themselves.

_Not everyone…these are the only ones who don't._

"W-what?" Lanie's eyes widened.

One of the fearlings swelled, combining itself with the many others inside his cage. The fearling spoke, and it scared Lanie how it sounded like a sweet, innocent girl. It was a voice of like a six year old girl.

"Daddy? Daddy, help! I'm stuck! Can you help me?"

Lanie's head jerked towards the grand door, which looked like it was carved out of silver. There was movement behind it. She tried saying no, but she could only mouth the word.

"Please, Daddy. I'm scared. I don't like the dark. I need you, Daddy." The fearling whimpered.

Finally, the door slowly opened. Light shone on Lanie's startled face. Her green eyes grew wide with fear and horror.

A man clad in golden warrior armor slowly walked in. He had a red cloth, like a toga, slung over his shoulder like a cape. His boots clanked against the floor as he slowly walked forward. His black hair was slicked upwards, as if gravity didn't matter. His silver eyes looked everywhere, and his hand was fumbling with something around his neck.

"Pitch?!"

_Not Pitch exactly. His former name was Kozmotis Pitchiner. He did tell you he had a family before?_

"Yes, and he was the reason they were…oh no." Lanie covered her mouth in terror.

Pitch removed the necklace from around his neck and looked at it thoughtfully. It was an open locket, and inside was the image of his beloved daughter. He closed it, and still tightly gripped in his hand, he called out, "Where are you, Seraphina?"

"RIGHT HERE!" all the fearlings growled loudly.

Next thing Lanie saw was the cages clanking open and the giant cloud of fearlings looming above his terrified face. He turned towards the door, but it was slammed shut. Just as he turned back, they were already around him.

Lanie could hear his screams and yells of pain and terror, she cried out, hot tears running down her face. She was about to lunge forward and pull him out of the nightmare he was enduring, when Man in Moon stopped her with carefully chosen words.

_Wait until the deed is done._

"Wait a minute! He can't see me, can he?! What am I supposed to do?!" she yelled, half crying at the terrors in front of her.

Something flew into the air from the swirling black clouds of fearlings, sparkling in the very little light. Lanie immediately knew it was the locket.

"NO!" she jumped, hoping to catch it.

She thought she could. Her hand was clearly underneath it, ready to catch it like a baseball player, but the locket went right through her hand. It fell, downwards, off the platform she was on and into the dark abyss down below, never to be seen again.

Her head jerked up as she heard the words come from the fearlings, "You are our master now…."

"PITCH!" she screamed, running forth.

The fearlings dispersed and dissolved into the air, full of cackles and evil cheers. Instead of the General Kozmotis she saw before, she saw…

Her Boogeyman.

His hands were covering his face as he was bent over on his knees, waiting if it was over. Lanie ran up to him and slid onto the floor in front of him.

"Pitch? Please, oh God…" she begged, watching him.

A low chuckle erupted from deep within himself, and his hands slowly left his face. Lanie almost drew back at the sight of his new menacing, gold eyes. But she controlled herself. With a deep breath, she reached a hand out towards him.

Her hand did not go through him. Her hand firmly touched his cheek, yet he was unfazed. She added another hand on the opposite cheek, scooting closer to him.

"Please, Pitch, listen to me," she whispered, looking into his unaware eyes, "I know you turned like this and you're now the Boogeyman forevermore. Know that I accept you for who you are, whether you're Kozmotis or Pitch Black. You are my husband, and I love you. Not any mistake you made in life could change that. Everything will be okay…" the tears blinded her.

She couldn't see through her tears. She finally burst into tears, not willing to let go of the man she loved with all her heart.

Finally, she heard something.

"Lanie…"

A hand touched her cheek, and she looked up abruptly. A hand wiped her tears away, and she could see.

Pitch was looking right at her, concern creasing his forehead. Lanie's stunned, open mouth grew into a wide smile. Pitch smiled back, glad to see she was okay.

"Pitch…" she murmured, quickly throwing herself into his arms and giving him a hug.

"Thank you, Lanie." He smiled against her hair.

Lanie leaned away, getting an eyeful of a gentle Boogeyman. She giggled, then confidently kissed him right on the lips. Though taken aback for a second, he relaxed and kissed her back, holding her close for dear life.

When Lanie's eyes opened to the present, she was smiling. So was Man in Moon, who was now sitting in front of no more vials.

"Congratulations, Lanie. You've completed your test." He nodded, knowing she was full ready.

Lanie grinned, her cheeks becoming numb, but she didn't care. She looked at her hands, proud of what she accomplished. She knew exactly what the gift she and Pitch were getting now. It was all too simple. Man in Moon knew she was a clever and smart girl, and that came to its riches.

"Do you know what my blessing is?" he asked, watching her knowingly.

Lanie nodded. She looked up from under her lashes, her wide smile becoming a small grin.

"You're giving us a baby."

"And how do you know that?" he smiled, thumbing his coat like a proud man.

"You've shown me the people I've impacted in life, and it was all through teachings. I taught them love, diligence, patience, respect, and dedication. That all adds up to being a parent."

Man in Moon finally gave a wide, toothy grin. "Bingo. Now!"

He stood up and so did Lanie.

"The missing blue vial holds importance for not you exactly, but for-as you probably know- your future child. Once the baby is born, I shall send a handmade gift that has the aura inside it. Nothing can penetrate it or break it. The gift will be indestructible."

"Cool! I mean uh, that's very nice to hear." She nodded.

"Now the big question is, my good friend, how will you tell your husband when he comes home?" he looked at her slyly.

"Huh?" Lanie looked confused for a minute.

Before she could react, he clapped his hands and light split through the air. Once he disappeared through that crevice of light, another light form with hints of teal, blue, yellow and green rushed towards her right to her stomach. She staggered back at the feeling. It was like something moved in her stomach and butterflies were dancing with fireworks inside her guts.

She gently clutched her stomach, then looked up to where Man in Moon left.

Not a trace could be seen, except one word rung through the chamber: _Congratulations_

Lanie suddenly started to feel faint, as if the ground was rocking underneath her. She felt like she was aboard a ship, but only for a few minutes. The butterflies returned, and right before her very eyes, her stomach protruded out a bit.

"Oh…oh my God!" she almost screamed, covering her mouth in shock.

She didn't know that baby spirits grew three times as fast as the human baby does, but soon, she will.

A cloud of black sand fell from the ceilings of the cavern, along with whinnies and neighs. Lanie excitedly bounced up and down on her heels, but careful not to upset the little life inside her.

Pitch jumped out of the shadows with Onyx at his heels. He had a huge grin on his face, and once he caught eyes with her, he ran over to her.

"Lanie, love!" he cheered. He took her and twirled her in the air before landing her back down and kissing her forehead.

Lanie laughed, unable to find the right words. _So what am I supposed to say?! I don't know how to word it correctly. And what about his reaction? What if he will be very mad? Or what if he doesn't know what to do? Or worse…what if the Guardians find out before he does?_

She hated thinking like that, but she had to.

"Onyx told me you taught her how to ride, yes?" he held her face in his hands, obviously thrilled about something.

"Um, y-yeah. She was great!" she stammered.

"She was perfect! I have never ridden a finer nightmare until now!" he turned towards Onyx with a proud look.

The mare tossed her head, causing her mane to go over one eye.

_Aw, shucks, fellas! You really are something else._

"Ah, speaking of something else…" Lanie started.

"Oh yeah! Your Christmas present!" he moved away from her excitedly, beckoning for Onyx to come forward.

"Huh? Wait, what?!" Lanie questioned, completely caught off guard.

Pitch came back over and held her hands tightly, obviously elated about something she didn't know. _What Christmas present? February is nearly over!_

"It's finally done, my dear, done." He whispered, then kissed her on the nose.

"Uh, what is, may I ask?" she said, half sighing out of defeat.

_I'm fatter than before! HOW DOES HE NOT SEE THIS?! _Her mind screamed.

He took her by the hand and gently placed her on Onyx's back. She clutched her stomach, feeling the butterflies again. _Little one, you better be ready for this! Your father's about to give us a ride._

Pitch hopped on behind her, took Onyx's reins and kicked her for takeoff.

About fifteen minutes later, they landed on soft grass in the middle of the forest, the wind blowing Lanie's short hair everywhere. Her mouth dropped as Pitch led her by the hand down the dirt path. A beautiful garden lay ready for visitors close by to the spooky forest, a cantera fountain placed directly in the middle. The giant shadow of the new house loomed over Lanie, and for a minute she thought her neck might pop the more she leaned back to look at it while being pulled by Pitch.

The house was like a giant English cottage home, but big enough to look like a manor. It had smooth, grey stone walls and the doors were black as well. Light already shed through the windows, and when Pitch led Lanie through the door, she instantly became warm. The hallway stretched down to where the kitchen lay, and a giant doorway to the first turn led to a family room. Further down was the massive library where many books-even scrolls-laid waiting to be held and looked at. Up the half-landing stairs was the giant bathroom a lot like the one in the lair, but with colors she saw in her early dream and with the formal black. There were two bedrooms: one master bedroom that resembled a lot like the one back in the lair and a new one that literally looked like no one would ever live in. There was only a wooden twin bed, a large window leading out to a balcony, and everything else was bare.

Lanie was completely out of breath once they were back down in the living room. Pitch happily placed two cups of tea on the glass table and looked at his wife expectantly for an answer.

"So? What do you think?" he asked brightly.

"It's *gasp* beautiful! I really adore it. But *pant* why do we need this, darling?" she tried standing straight up, but she so badly wanted to bend forward. The ground was starting to move like a boat again, but this time like rough weather.

"I was thinking, since we want a family, we might as well live like one. I thought, why not live in a home to satisfy my wife and possibly a family itself rather than cooped up in the lair?" he walked around, admiring his handiwork. Clearly, this is the best he's done.

Suddenly, Lanie lost touch with the word. She grew even more dizzy, and now she was beginning to lose her balance. Air was getting harder to reach, or she was taking in too much. She didn't know. She put a hand to her head, hoping to get under control. Pitch looked back, and his smile suddenly fell. He walked towards her a bit.

"Honey, are you okay?" he asked, genuinely worried.

_Oh, FINALLY he notices! _Her mind grumbled, but it was all too late.

She lost her balance, her knees giving way. She tried grabbing something to steady herself, but she was already falling.

"Lanie!" he exclaimed, and caught her limp body before it fell to the floor.


	29. Chapter 29

**OOOOOOO! AGAIN, I LOVE THIS CHAPTER! I've said that with many others, and I'll keep on saying that to the ones I'm most proud of! The gender of the baby will not be revealed until the big day (aka chapter), so NOOOO PREGUNTAS! Oh, and I don't want to hear, "They should visit Kimi cause she's a doctor!" Yes, it's a nice thought, but NAY NAY! She does have a role in the story again soon, but not yet and not for this. Just...*in tiny voice like Gollum* trust me.**

**I'm sorry, I've had WAY too much sugar today. This explains why I'm posting this at 12:13 AM. I really should go to bed soon, but right after this. Have a nice night/day! :D**

She woke up on the couch the next morning, and the first thing she saw was Pitch curled up on the floor, having a bad night's sleep. Though the sun was leaking through just a tiny bit due to the thick, elegant curtains, it didn't bother him. That wasn't the cause.

Lanie sat up further, and the rustling of her movement made Pitch jolt upright, rapidly wide awake. Once he saw that she was okay and no longer had that white appearance to her face he crawled towards her, held her head and started planting kisses everywhere. Lanie giggled and tried squirming away.

"Pitch, what's the-!"

"What the hell happened last night? You blacked out on me." He looked at her seriously. Lanie noticed how worried he looked.

_For Pete's sake, tell him now! Where's that damn courage you used to have?!_ Her mind bellowed. Lanie looked down at her legs. A soft, fluffy blanket of yellow fabric covered her legs and torso, giving her enough warmth against the March weather. She fingered it for a while, then looked back at Pitch, sorely afraid.

"I sense fear in you. Why?" he backed up a bit, remembering she could probably faint again and needed air just in case.

"Um…I…" she started, sitting up fully, swinging her legs out. By that movement, she got an idea.

"Pitch, come here." Lanie tugged him from behind so he was now standing in front of her.

"Why so serious? Not that I'm complaining or anything." He teasingly winked at her.

Lanie couldn't help but smile, but then quickly changed back to the situation at hand. She gestured towards herself, her hand flourishing at her body.

"What do you see?" she asked.

Pitch was silent for a while, looking at her completely. He then smiled and looked back into her eyes, "My beautiful wife, Nalanie Black. Why?"

"Wait, I'm not done." She paused his question. She took his warm hand in hers and pressed it against her stomach. He started to laugh. She looked up at him, hoping he got the picture.

"How much have you been eating?" he chuckled.

"Pitch!" she snapped.

"Alright, alright! What's supposed to happen?" he rolled his eyes, still thinking this was all a joke.

"Just…wait." She kept his hand planted gently on her stomach.

There it was. A small kick. That small kick made Pitch yank his hand away and stare at her stomach in shock. He looked up at her, fiercely questioning why she did that, or whatever inside her did that.

"What-!?"

Lanie kissed him before he could finish his demand. Though he didn't return the kiss because he was too preoccupied with the problem, she was finally at peace that he was on the brink of finding out.

"That…that is your son or daughter."

Pitch stared at her, wide eyed with disbelief. He was looking from her stomach to her. He came back over and put both hands on her belly, feeling for any movement. He looked back at her.

"You better not be joking." He said, the corners of his lips twitching.

Lanie couldn't help but start to cry. She hid her face in her hands, embarrassed and guilty.

"I'm not kidding! Man in Moon said this was his gift to you and me. I'm sorry if you don't want…"

"Lanie! Lanie! Calm down!" he laughed, pulling her hands away from her face.

She was stunned as he kissed her tears away eagerly. He cupped her face in his hands, showing his sparkling eyes. _He's…he's not mad?_

"Don't you dare suggest I don't want a child. Damn right I do, and you don't know how happy I am. I'm trying to keep my cool so I still look Boogeyman material." He chuckled.

Lanie couldn't help but laugh, both from relief and enjoying his joke. He kissed her right on the mouth, and pulled her into a gentle hug, careful not to squish the tiny baby inside. He finally pulled away, loving seeing Lanie's wide grin.

"I do need to warn you about something," He said, sitting back in a chaise lounge, "being pregnant as an immortal is entirely different than a human."

"Can you help me understand it?" Lanie begged, sitting down on the coffee table behind her.

"It would be my pleasure." He smiled, "Firstly, it's only a three month long period-."

"Seriously?! The fun will be over before it even starts!" Lanie pouted, folding her arms.

"Secondly," he continued, "immortal children grow faster than humans, but if they end up living with a mortal family, they age at the normal rate."

"Ooh, that's weird. But cool!" she smiled, leaning forward excitedly.

"Lastly, we may not have any more kids after this one." Pitch looked a little sad at that, "It's extremely rare if we even get the chance to have one child."

Lanie crossed her legs, a smug expression on her face. "Yeah, I don't think I'm up for having six children."

"Yes, I-wait a minute." He glanced back at her. Shock filled his face again.

Lanie winked and smiled.

"You talk in your sleep from time to time." She giggled at his face.

He laughed awkwardly and leaned back, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well that's…different."

Meanwhile, Jack Frost was amidst a quick nap, an accidental thing caused by Sandy. Well, he pretended it was an accident. The golden man did it intentionally, just so he could shut up. He and the other Guardians were so tired of hearing him rant on how he's going to forever stay with Jamie at his side and destroy what's left of the Boogeyman. So there Jack was, sleeping peacefully on a wooden chair with his legs sprawled out in front of him and his mouth open wide, soft snores echoing from his throat.

Bunny growled at the boy from a distance away, just dropping by for a quick hello before continuing with his egg decorating back at the Warren.

"I'm going to pour egg coloring down his mouth if he doesn't stop." He mumbled to North.

Father Christmas looked from Jack back to Bunny, a slight smile hidden in his beard. "Well! It is better than yelling, no?"

"True." Bunnymund agreed.

Jack mumbled in his sleep, his mouth finally closing. His legs twitched, trying to get back into a more comfortable position to finish up the dream and not wake up too early in it.

_Jack tumbled through the air, full of whoops and cheers at flying through the sky. He swan dove towards a large area of land where it looked as if it was a horse ranch. He just whizzed past when he heard a sharp cry. He stopped himself mid-leap in the air, and turned around, hovering over a parked car in the driveway not too far from the horse ranch. He looked around him, looking for whoever made that cry._

_He flew back towards the land, and saw a towering, log ranch house, at least having three floors. A few yards away was a little boy, around three, who was whimpering to himself._

_Jack flew over, curious to what was wrong. He landed in front of the boy and kneeled down. He was at first startled. The boy could see him. Despite his age, his black hair covered his forehead and some strands got into his face. His eyes were close to gold, but had specks of green near the pupils, kind of like how Pitch's eyes went from silver to gold. The boy's face was wide with shock, but he looked like knew him…no…it wasn't possible._

_"Hey, little guy, why are you crying?" Jack asked, giving a friendly smile._

_The little boy sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "My brothers…they won't let me play with them."_

_"Well, would you like to play with me?" Jack offered, and he laughed when he saw the boy's face brighten._

_"Wanna play tag? That's my favorite game." Jack sprang up, excited._

_"Yeah! Let's play tag!" the boy soon followed his lead and began chasing him around the backyard._

_Both of the boys were full of laughter, and Jack made sure he was slow and easy to catch so the child could have as much fun as he had. Jack finally caught him in his arms and began tickling his belly, the little boy squealing squirming in his hug. The boy slipped from his grip and did a finishing somersault, still full of giggles. He turned back to smile and thank Jack for the fun, but suddenly, fear obstructed his face._

_"Papa, no!" the boy screamed, ran in front of Jack and tried protecting the winter spirit._

_Jack's eyes grew wide with fear. A tall, looming cloud of blackness toward above him, intimidating him. Blazing angry, yellow eyes opened within the silhouette as did large, obsidian tendrils. It tried snatching the boy away from Jack, but he grabbed the boy around his middle and shielded him with his back turned to the dark figure. But when he expected to look down at the frightened boy, he was met with complete darkness. The yellow eyes opened up, scaring the living daylights out of him. He tried screaming, but nothing happened._

_The eyes turned to the green and gold eyes of the little boy, but they were filled with anger and hate._

_"HOW COULD YOU?!" many voices screamed at Jack._

Jack woke up with a start, panting really hard. He looked around him, and saw North, Sandy and a few yetis standing around him, worried. North touched his shoulder, making sure he wasn't shaking.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

"Something…what happened?" Jack exchanged glances with North and Sandy.

Sandy shrugged and patted North's leg for him to speak. North cleared his throat and spoke, "You were screaming in your sleep. What nightmare got you?"

"It…I don't know. At first I was just playing around with a boy, and then darkness was the next thing I saw. Then a lot of voices screamed 'How could you?' and I woke up." Jack rushed, rubbing his head.

Sandy and North exchanged worried looks. Sandman only made Jack have a nap. How did it resolve to full sleep, and then a nightmare?

"But we didn't even see any of Pitch's…" North started, then quieted down when he felt Sandy tugging at his pant leg.

The little man pointed towards the sky, where the moon should be, and then pointed at Jack. North looked at Jack seriously, who was majorly confused.

"I'm guessing Manny gave you a vision." He said solemnly.

Jack had to laugh from both the awkward moment to skepticism. He got up, picking up his staff along with him. He slung it over his shoulder proudly and began walking around slowly, thinking of the situation at hand. Not seriously, but how stupid it all was.

"Since when did Man in Moon give visions? Ha, it's…uncanny." He shook his head, trying to get the scary dream images out of his head.

North and Sandy had to share a look one last time. Sandy finally gave up, literally showing his thoughts, _He won't listen to us. What else can we do?_

So the Guardians, sooner or later, will weaken their grip on the Guardian of Fun, and then he will soon become the Spirit of Hate for a moment of hours.

Back in the new home of Lanie and Pitch, they were lying out on the soft grass underneath the weeping willow, gazing at the light of the moon through the wispy leaves. Pitch had his hands behind his head, his ankles crossed over each other, completely content with how life was unraveling for him. He glanced over at Lanie, who was playing with her fingers. He witnessed her hold her hand , making her hand look smaller than the other one by just placing three fingers inside her palm.

"Lanie? What're you doing?" he chuckled when she stopped and looked back at the moon, a half smile on her lips.

"Nothing. Just thinking." She simply replied.

"About our little warrior?" he smiled as he rested his hand gently on her stomach.

The baby has been kicking Lanie frequently, so it earned the title 'little warrior' from Pitch. Lanie would joke that it was having a dance party, and Pitch would follow up with that, 'Must be from your side' every time it was said. It was absolute bliss.

"Yep…Pitch? If our baby was a girl, what would you name her?" she looked at him, curiosity glittering in her emerald eyes.

"Now that's not fair, Lanie. I believe that the mother names the baby because she earns it through the trouble she goes through. But if you're just wondering, I like Vivian."

"That's pretty! I was thinking Olga, but…" she grinned.

Pitch sat up abruptly and stared at her, slack jawed. When he saw she was kidding, he grinned and laid back down.

"Lanie, I hate it when you do that." He put his hands behind his head again.

"Ok, ok, no more." She sighed, glad she got the reaction she wanted.

It was silent for a while, just them watching the sparkling stars.

"Alright, well, what if it was a boy?" Lanie turned back to Pitch.

"Whoa!" he laughed, "That'd be awesome!"

"Pitch!" Lanie exclaimed, sitting upright.

"Okay, okay, Lanie," Pitch chuckled at her startled reaction, "the gender to me doesn't matter, honestly…but I can't help but kind of want a boy."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," she laid back down, putting her hands on her stomach, "I'm really not sure if I want a boy more or a girl more. Girls mature faster than boys-"

"You want a bet?" he laughed, looking at her, but she continued.

"-but boys don't have serious temper problems like teenage girls do." Lanie bit her lip, confused at what she wanted.

"Ooh, I'm excited to see you handle the teenage years." Pitch smiled up at the moon.

"Hey, it's not just gonna be me, lover boy. You're involved, too." Lanie smirked at him.

"For better or worse." Pitch teased.

He received a playful smack on the arm, causing laughter to erupt from his throat.

"You're cruel, Pitch."

"Nah, I'm just a tease. Though I do have one thing to promise you." He snuck a hand into hers, lacing their fingers against the glossy grass. "If he or she is to give you or me any trouble as a teen, I've got a way to make them behave."

"Don't you dare scare them." She looked at him doubtfully.

"Not even that. I'll simply say," he swelled his chest to make him look intimidating, "Look, I brought you into this world, and I could take you out."

Lanie could not stop laughing, and her sides began to hurt. When she finally ended in fits of giggles, she commented, "True, it would be great if you used that. But then they'd question why it was you and not Mom."

"And, _that_ would lead to learning the birds and bees." He grinned.

"I call dibs teaching them going through puberty, though." Lanie sneered, plotting the story in her head.

Pitch looked at her with a wide grin, showing her his question to why in his silver-gold eyes.

"If it was a girl, I'd teach her like this," Lanie picked up her hands and formed them like duck beaks. She made the left one speak, "You're going to be bleeding, once a month, pretty much the rest of your life."

The right hand spluttered, "I'm sorry, _bleeding_?!"

"Oh, yeah." The left said seriously.

"From where?" righty questioned.

"Right there." Lanie made the left finger point towards the righty's wrist.

"Is it going to hurt?"

"Not you, but everyone around you."

Pitch had to tuck his legs to his chest as he laughed, his sides splitting. He felt tears prickle at the corner of his eyes, but he choked them back down, smiling brightly. Lanie happily watched him have fun laughing, glad she made him crack more than a chuckle.

"Oh! And this is if it's a boy," she pulled up righty and lefty again.

Lefty looked Righty up and down, then spoke, "I'll tell you when boys grow up. It's when you can name the city Bangkok and not laugh at all. Even in your head, you can't laugh, which means never, you are _never_ growing up!"

Pitch laughed just as hard, clutching his stomach but letting his legs fall back to the grass. The only way for him to calm down was to simply lean over and kiss her sweetly on the lips. She smiled when he pulled away, hearing him sigh happily.

"Was I that funny?" Lanie was surprised.

"You make me laugh every day, love. Sometimes I have to keep myself from laughing so you don't think I'm a weirdo." He looked at her, pure honestly in his eyes.

"Pitch…" Lanie became serious, going back to fiddling with her fingers, "no matter what happens, things will be okay for our child, right?"

Pitch slid closer to her and grasped her hand reassuringly, making her snuggle into the crook of his neck.

"I know we have no choice of the gender or what the child's destiny will be, but I promise, now and forever, I'll be the best father to our child, and you it's best mother." He softly kissed her forehead.

"Heh, like it'll have any other ones. Thank you, Pitch." She smiled, and snuggled deeper into his warmth.

The little life inside her kicked quickly, as if to say something…but then slowly grew quiet, liking the closeness of its parents and the happy feelings it was gaining through its mother. Pitch smiled to himself as he picked up a sleepy Lanie off the ground. He could faintly see her stomach grow a little bit more, but only noticeable to the father's loving eye.


	30. Chapter 30

**Congrats, this is the thirtieth chapter! It seems like only yesterday I posted chapter 29...wait...that was yesterday. Haha! I noticed how some people knew the joke Lanie was saying last chapter. Yes, that was intentional. It belongs to its rightful comedian, but I thought it would be a fun idea putting a ROTG youtube parody into a fanfic, so BOOM! There it is.**

**Pitch: You are a freak.**

**Me: Sticks and stones may break my bones but-**

***throws a stick and stone***

**Me: FEAR SUCKING LEECH!**

**Pitch: Excuse me?**

**Me: O_O Umm...everyone, enjoy this chapter as I try to escape terror. Bye!**

Pitch is impatient, everyone knows that. It doesn't take a sheer genius to know what he wants, he wants pronto. So by the time the middle of March rolled around, he was damn ready for a kid. He hated waiting. When he would complain of the slow traveling time, Lanie would give him a look and pray their kid wouldn't inherit his impatience. Sometimes he would even ask Lanie to kick it into gear, and she'd have to start telling him she's not in charge this time.

"The little warrior now tells _me_ what to eat! Imagine how I feel, Pitch. I haven't had chocolate in ages." She would whine.

"Two weeks, love. That's not much." Pitch would mumble.

"That's a long time! Do you know how many HOURS that is?! 336 freaking hours! I want some damn candy!"

"And that would probably the mood swings kicking in." he would smirk.

Though glad that the manor had a fridge and cabinets so she could cook, eat, and store food properly, Lanie sent Pitch to get the rest of the food and other things they left behind in the lair. He was happy to oblige. After having an argument, he needed a breather. He didn't blame her, he mostly blamed the baby. If she wasn't pregnant, she wouldn't flip out. _I didn't realize how bad mood swings are. For Christ's sake, she's closely related to a pissed off yeti now._

He couldn't help but laugh at that thought as he dissolved into the shadows of the back woods, knowing full well that wasn't true at all. She's an absolute sweetheart; it's just a side effect.

"That's right, a side effect! Temporarily stuck in her system." He grinned to himself, reappearing within the darkness of the lair.

But something caught his eye and made him stop in his tracks.

Jack Frost was in his lair, circling in the main chamber.

He glowered and snarled, knowing full well he had a reason to kill him now. Ooh, how he wanted to. After his fair and easy to hear warning, he should've heeded it. But how and why would the Guardians let him wander back? Does he still think he can take Lanie away? No. He was having none of that.

"Well, well, well," he crooned, letting his voice echo around the lair, causing the hairs on the back of Jack's neck to stand up, "who decided not to listen and come back uninvited?"

Jack whipped around just in time to see Pitch morph out of the shadows near the dark underbelly of one of the stairwells.

"How typically teenage of you." He growled, showing no evil playfulness this time.

Jack took an unnoticeable deep breath to channel his anger, "I've come to confront you, Pitch."

"Of _course,_ the Guardians chose to send the strongest to do the dirty work. That's lame." He put his hands behind his back and proudly walk around, knowing full well he was the lion and he was the lamb.

"You've nearly killed Jamie's father, so maybe I should pay that back." Jack's staff glowed as his anger was thickening in his throat.

Pitch whipped around, his eyes turning from silver to an eclipse. "How do you not know!? Even your weirdo friends know I didn't do that on purpose. That nightmare got out of control by itself-!"

"Yeah, but it was your creature. That makes you the guilty one." Jack stood his ground, glaring hatefully at the Boogeyman.

Pitch watched him, searching for something. Finally, he found it. He sneered, feeling Jack's fears arise from deep within himself. His scornful grin has the magic to do that.

"That's not the only reason you're here, is it?" Pitch cocked his head up higher, showing he was far more superior to him by ages.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Of course, you and my Lanie…" he turned his back and walked away for only two steps.

"SHE IS NOT YOURS!" Jack bellowed, causing Pitch to stop in his tracks.

He so badly wanted to shoot back at how they're married, of how they're a growing family in process. He knew that would hurt Jack, and that's exactly what he wanted to do. _If I tell, Lanie and I will no longer be safe…things will go haywire. If I say it, we lose each other._

He decided to chuckle, and then reply, "But she isn't yours, is she?"

"Better than with you." He snapped.

"Oh, let's not take turns pointing out our flaws, boy. I prefer pointing out fears, but if you insist, I'll give you the reasons why she won't like you or want to be with you," he turned towards Jack, glaring at him with shrouded loathing, "she likes _men,_ not _boys, _that's one reason…"

"You're making this up!" he yelled, pointing his staff threateningly at the Boogeyman.

"Secondly," he continued, "she thinks maturity is a must. She doesn't want to frolic around with an elemental freak who thinks life is all fun and games, because it's not. She's controlled yet free with me, but she's clearly shown you the cold shoulder you're not familiar with." Pitch snickered as he disappeared into a dark crevice.

"And my favorite reason of all," his voice rang around the chamber, Jack looking everywhere to make sure he does not receive a sneak attack, "no matter what, you never give up, even when you should."

Jack glared at him, unable to find any words to fire back at him.

"Agreed, it's a good quality! Especially for a naïve boy like you. But being stubborn won't give you the power to take my Lanie away. You heard what Man in Moon said, Jack Frost, correct?"

And as Pitch slowly disappeared into the darkness in front of Jack, he said smoothly, "Nothing can be done. You can't control me anymore, nor will I let you control my girl. There isn't anything you can do, know why? There are many _reasons…_but the main reason is that she's not even here."

Jack's eyes widened once Pitch was completely gone from his peripheral, and he scanned the chamber, looking everywhere. Pitch still taunted him, gaining back a reaction he loved: fear.

"And you look around, worried that I may have tortured her, corrupted her, or brought her to a more dangerous place. How…sad. You're afraid you'll never be accepted like I was…you'll be lonely, unlike the Boogeyman."

"STOP IT!" he shouted, and fired ice towards the location where Pitch's voice was coming from, but he knew he missed once he heard him laugh cruelly.

"But enough light chat, I can see you get the picture." Pitch reappeared, and he had a medium sized sack in his arms, the same color as his robe. At first it made Jack curious, and then it grew into anxiety.

"But you best be going now, Jack. Don't want the Guardians getting fidgety, do we?" he said acidly.

Before Jack could protest, a small troop of nightmares rushed up from underneath him and swallowed him into darkness. Down through the shadows he fell, landing on his stomach. When he sat up to look where he was, he was back in the forest right where the broken bed was, the gateway to Pitch's lair. But this time…the hole was gone.

He hissed in anger, and then kicked at the dirt. Anger bubbled up to the surface and without controlling himself like he used to be a pro at, turned, flipped, and shot frost and ice right at a cedar tree. He took in breath, seeing the damage he did.

He still wasn't used to his newfound, bigger than life powers. The lone cedar tree he intended to just freckle with ice and frost, was completely split down the middle. Even some ice shards were lodged in neighboring trees and frost was permanently coated on the growing leaves. The leaves may probably die before they even grow.

Jack stared at the damage he did, and then…

He smiled.

Lanie finished chopping up some fresh apples she picked while Pitch was out, and popped a few pieces into her mouth. She looked around the kitchen thoughtfully. _Hm…apples need more flavor._ She stopped and tried listening to what her stomach wanted, but she got a completely different answer from Mr. or Ms. Hey-It's-All-About-Me. Immediately, she hungered for something along with apples.

Without thinking, she was gathering the needed ingredients, rolling up her dress sleeves and mixing milk, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla extract and butter into a pan. She wiped her head on her arm mid whisk of the egg yolks, then continued making her so desired 'snack.'

Just then, she heard the back door slam shut, and then footsteps walk down the hallway towards the kitchen. She grinned, knowing full well who it was.

"Ah, I've always wanted to do that." Pitch sighed happily, dumping the bag onto the kitchen island table. He then thought, and grinned, "and then a little kid would shout, 'Daddy's home!'" he did his best imitating a child's voice.

Lanie giggled and continued pouring the cream into the egg yolks, paying attention while baking. She heard Pitch sniff the air, and then quickly come over. He looked at the now empty yet messy pan, at Lanie, then to the bowl full of mixture.

"Um…what're you doing?" he asked.

"Doing laundry." She smiled at her playful jab, "I'm baking custard."

"That's uh, delicious, but may I ask why?" he raised a brow.

"Sure, go ahead!" she looked at him cheerily.

"…Why?" he half laughed at her bouncy attitude.

"This little rug rat says so, that's why!" she pointed to her stomach, making a pouty face. But then she beamed back up at him, "Don't worry, there'll be enough for two!"

"For you and the baby?" he asked, going over to sit down at the kitchen table.

Lanie poured the new mix back into the pan and popped it into the already pre-heated stove, slammed the door with her foot and leaned against the counter while wiping her hands on a blue towel.

"No, for you and me." She smiled kindly.

"You're kidding, right?" Pitch scoffed.

"No, I'm serious!" Lanie laughed at that remark, "Sharing is caring, you know."

"Lanie…" he ran his hand through his obsidian hair, his elbow rested on the table, "that's very kind of you, but I don't eat anymore."

"…That doesn't make any sense. You eat Almond Joys." She looked at him oddly.

"Occasionally, as a treat. I haven't eaten a full meal for, good God, more than a hundred years." He sighed.

"Well!" she exclaimed happily, she eyed the timer, and then back at Pitch, "you must be starving, then."

An hour later, Lanie swirled a slice of apple in the remaining custard helping she gave herself. She looked at Pitch's empty bowl then up at his face. He was working a bit of apple out of his teeth with his tongue, off in his own world. He finally noticed a pair of emerald eyes watching him and looked at her. He stopped.

"What?"

Lanie blushed and smiled, going back to her apple, "Nothing. Just happy, that's all."

"Good. I like it when you're happy." He grinned back, pushing his empty bowl with his index finger.

A thought just entered Lanie's mind. If they're to have a baby, shouldn't they get a room ready for it? A feeling of glee spread through her. _Imagine the fun in painting the room walls and decorating everything!_ She glanced back at Pitch, who was watching the sun slowly sink behind the thick forest trees.

"Heeeeyyyy, I've got a question." She nonchalantly commented.

She watched him chuckle then look back at her. The sun shone on the side of his face, accenting his angled jaw like he was carved by angels. He saw her eyes haze over with a daydream look and laughed awkwardly.

"Um…what're you looking at?"

Lanie was still in a fangirling faze, watching him like he was the most fascinating thing on the planet. Her head was in the palm of her hand, making her words a little muffled, "Do you know how handsome you are?"

Pitch laughed and leaned back arrogantly, "I'm aware of that. Was that your question?"

Lanie nudged his leg with hers playfully. She snapped out of her stupor and became serious.

"My real question is, can I paint the walls of that spare room? It's for the baby."

She was expecting a _no-of-course-not_ or a, _we-don't-even-know-the-gender-yet_ answer, but Pitch completely caught her off guard.

"Sure, I don't see why not," he said simply, "as long as there's no pink." He shuddered, "Ugh…can't stand that color."

"Really? You'll let me do it?" she excitedly started bouncing up and down in her chair.

"That's your reward for making good custard. I've never had that before, and it was pleasing." He smiled.

Before he could talk more, Lanie pulled out a napkin and a pencil, and then began sketching out her idea right on the flimsy mouth-cleaner. Pitch chuckled at his eager wife, and then turned back towards the blazing red sun. There was only a rimming left peeking out from behind the forest, and then giant rays bounced off that lone red rim. It was like reverse Lion King. He grinned, and sat back against his chair.

_Looks like things are finally turning around._


	31. Chapter 31

**I'm really sorry I haven't posted as usual. Finals are coming up, and I'm super duper worried. Plus I'm applying for a job, so that completely distracts me as well. GAH! But anyways, as a loyal author, here's another chapter. This is it! The big moment! :D Hope you all enjoy!**

Jack patiently sat Indian style on Sandy's floating cloud of dreamsand as he watched the golden man send his dreams all over the world. Jack sighed, laying his staff across his legs. He curled his toes into the sand, trying to keep his mind busy before he and Sandy could get to work. While Sandy bounced around the perimeter of the dream cloud, Jack touched a loose strand of sand with his pinkie. The strand immediately turned to a little girl dancing to a music box, music notes floating around her raised arms and around her ankles. She wore a happy and calm smile, something the music was doing to the dream.

It reminded him way too much of Lanie. When Sandy faced west, Jack brushed away the strand from his vision, hoping his heart wouldn't hurt like it did just then. Thinking about her, for some odd reason, hurt him. He didn't know why, but it made him miserable knowing Lanie looked down upon him as if he was the enemy. He only wanted to help her, try to see at least both sides of the problem, but she refused. He offered his kindness, and she still was distant. He tried being playful like in Pitch's manner, but she didn't shoot a smile.

And yet he always found himself thinking about her, the danger she could be in, or if she could be happier with a Guardian protecting her.

Jack finally felt a tap on his snowy white hair, and he looked up. Azul blue eyes met golden ones, and were rewarded with a small smile. Sandy created a dream couch, sat in it, fidgeted to get comfy, and then pointed to Jack to tell what was on his mind.

"Sandy…I don't know what I'm feeling. It's all…jumbled up inside me." Jack started, fingering his sweatshirt strings.

Sandy looked intrigued, and then tapped his finger on his chin to show he was thinking. He gestured for Jack to continue, but he created an image of a smiling girl with sparkling eyes.

Lanie.

Jack had two reactions: a blush, and swinging the crooked end of the staff through the image. Sandy frowned at his action, but then an idea dawned on him.

Jack looked like a sheepish boy in trouble. He looked up at Sandman through his white bangs, unsure of what to say or do.

Sandy shrugged to question him, and then with a friendly smile created a sand heart with a question mark. Jack rolled his eyes, knowing he didn't want to look like he was kidding, but actually wanted the answer. He looked back, a deadpan expression on his face. He…must not…show any emotion.

"Look, it's not as big as you think. I don't go for girls Pitch likes, I think that's disgusting."

Sandman raised an eyebrow, a gesture of _are-you-kidding-you-liar._ Jack sighed and fidgeted for a while, but then sat still.

"She's pretty, kind, and thinks of everyone goodly. The stories Tooth told us kind of…made me want to see her. It's not like I have _feelings _for her, but I'm just admitting there's been…stirrings."

Sandy looked at him like he was a joke. Seriously? That's as far as he's gotten? Maybe he's simply telling the truth that even if he doesn't fully like her, he still wants her next to him along with the Guardians.

_Jack Frost._

Both Sandy and Jack turned towards the Moon abruptly, knowing full well who that voice belonged to. They were quiet, not moving one bit, waiting for a comment, answer, or even an insult.

_She is safe. Remember that not only is she safe, but she is happy._

That was all Man in Moon ever said to them before disappearing behind a midnight dark cloud, making the Moon look twisted and turned around by the wisps of the cloud. Jack turned to Sandman for some kind of reaction, and all Sandy did was nod slowly. Jack knew what that meant.

_You must listen to Him._

Hours later, dawn was about to break. Since Pitch took a day off to spend time with Lanie and make sure she was okay and comfortable, he had to go back to his duties. This time, he wasn't the one who reminded himself. It was Onyx. They were losing nightmares slowly because from time to time they'd get demolished in either natural destructions or sometimes the Guardians or other spirits would accidentally run into one or more. Unwillingly, he decided he must go back to spreading fear. Lanie had no problem with that, but something that morning told her he shouldn't go. She felt unsure without his presence there, and now she wanted him to stay home.

It was the first of May, three months since the day in February when Lanie found out she was pregnant. Maybe that's what got her heart in a tizzy? She knew something was wrong, but she didn't know what yet.

She watched Pitch brush the muzzle of Onyx before conjuring up the sand reins. Lanie curled her toes into the dew-covered grass, still wanting him to stay. She finally got the courage to stroll over and put a hand on his calf when he was fully seated on the mare. He looked at her and smiled. Once he saw her worried expression, his face softened.

"Please don't worry about me." He said bluntly.

"I'm not. I just…I can't help but hope you'll be safe." Lanie looked down, embarrassed that she couldn't tell him how she felt something was wrong.

He caught her chin and kissed her right on the tip of her nose, knowing that was a little trick of his for him to see her smile. Once she did, he knew she'd be alright.

"I'll be back alive, don't worry." He yanked on the reins, causing Onyx to whinny with excitement of flying once again.

"Don't scare me with that again, lover boy!" she laughed, then slapped Onyx's hindquarters.

Onyx reared at the sudden smack and as Pitch laughed, darted into the sky and hid behind the clouds, heading towards where ever the darkness of night has swallowed lands. Lanie's smile subsided, as it always does when he leaves. She just turned around when-

The baby kicked.

And it wasn't just a normal kick she felt before; it was the kind of kick where it was saying, '_GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"_

It hit her so sharp in the gut, she doubled over as far as she could so she could get back that air she lost. Lanie stood straight up. Big mistake.

Water…Everywhere.

"You're freaking kidding me! Right when Daddy leaves?! Are you serious?!" Lanie snapped, slowly transforming into a nervous wreck.

She couldn't move, because even if she took one step, the baby punched or kicked saying, "NUH UH! I move, you stay, you get what I'm saying?!"

"CAIUS! CYBIL!" Lanie screamed in between gasps.

Immediately, the twin nightmares arrived, leaning close to show that they were near. The twins were next on Lanie's top favorite nightmares Pitch had, right below Onyx and Zephyr. But unlike those, Caius and Cybil always followed directions without questions and did things diligently and with ease.

"I…I need you to *gasp* bring me to the master bedroom…please…the baby is on the way." Lanie clutched her stomach gently, trying to persuade the little one to slow down.

_Shall I fetch our Master? _ questioned Cybil calmly, knowing the urgency at hand.

"No. Wait, yes. I mean, no. Wait…" Lanie tried coming up with an answer, but she couldn't make her decision. Finally tears pricked her eyes as they made it to the back door, "I don't know!"

_The right thing to do will be to get him. He is the father after all._ Caius suggested, nodding at Cybil.

"Alright fine, fine. Go get him then. But he won't make it in time!" Lanie's voice shook with fear and pain, the labor growing into enormous struggle.

Cybil and Caius looked at each other, concerned. It's true. By the time he'd get back, either it will be all over or the birthing could possibly close to the end. Caius finally bowed his head at his sister nightmare and said, _Quickly get him back here. Don't pressure him. Remember his temper._

_God, brother. You act as if I'm a filly at this._

"Just stop arguing like children and help me give birth to one!" Lanie yelled, stopping halfway up the stairs.

She couldn't stand; she was so close to collapsing. But luckily, Cybil caught her, and then carried her on her back, Lanie lying with her back against hers and her leg grazing the soft, carpeted wood floor. Caius was already gone and flying in the wind, as fast as he could gallop. Lanie caught a glimpse of him in the window before Cybil gently slid her onto the bed, making her land perfectly on the bed. She immediately clutched a pillow and slammed it to her face, screaming her heart out at the pain. She screamed and screamed, hoping that will distract her from the agony of childbirth, but it didn't subside the slightest.

It did however echo around the world.

Her screams of agony rolled in thunderous, grey clouds. Lightning struck inside the swirling clouds and thunder boomed, making the children of the world cower in fear and hide in whatever shelter was close by. Adults stopped their work and watched the storm clouds, amazed at how it looked magically threatening. Even the weatherman was confused at how it was supposed to be a hundred percent sunny until nightfall, and they're already getting a thunderstorm with no rain.

Sandy was in Indonesia, sending dreams to every household on the islands, when his ears perked up at the wails. He looked up at the plum colored sky, and he could clearly make out dangerous thunderstorms. His eyes widened with surprise and worry. Tooth was in her palace, counting out yen for the hovering fairies around her who were patiently waiting for the gifts when their attention was drawn by the storm in the distance. Her heart jumped as each thunder clapped, and she grew troubled. North even had the perfect view of it from his window at the workshop, and it stopped him from his entire ice sculpture making. Bunny was exploring nearby forests when he saw it, and Jack Frost finished his last light snowfall in Canada when he saw it, too. All the Guardians were confused and frightened.

Pitch was seated on Onyx, watching the lights flicker on in apartments of London once a child screamed into the night, and new nightmares slowly drifted out towards their master. He smirked, proud of his successful work once more. Just as he was getting ready to depart for Liverpool, the thunderclouds rolled in. He looked up, surprised at the sudden climate change. Then he grew terrified. They were nothing like he's ever seen. Black with flashing grey and white lightning. A face formed out of the clouds, and opened its mouth and screamed.

Just then, Caius landed right in front of Onyx, making her move back a bit as the new arrival stumbled for a second. Pitch watched with confusion.

"Caius! Explain this to me!" Pitch demanded.

_It's Lanie,_ Caius bowed respectfully, _the baby is coming._

Pitch looked out towards the west, gently tugging Onyx's reins.

"Shit…Lanie!"

He commanded Onyx to fly into the sky back towards the manor, with Caius by his side, guiding him through the perilously midnight clouds.

Lanie moaned, sweat dripping down her brow. _Why does this have to be so difficult?! Someone, help me…he's not going to make it in time._

As if her prayer was answered, she felt a cool hand touch her face. It felt good against her sweaty and working body; she gasped then opened her eyes. A white spirit of a woman smiled down at her, then stroked her hair to calm her down. Lanie smiled against pants.

"Tell Man in Moon I thank him a thousand times." She whispered, watching the woman split into two different women, both looking alike.

_He already knows your gratefulness, Nalanie._ The first one smiled calmly.

_Now, _the second added, moving towards Lanie's legs, _let's see if we can get this baby into this world for you._

Pitch was traveling so fast, his eyes were watering and his skin was already shivering from the biting cold of night. No matter how he urged Onyx to go faster, the night seemed to travel just miles ahead of him. It was like a wild goose chase. He bit his lip as the sun slowly beat him, laughing at his slowness. He was missing it all!

_I'm so sorry for being slow, Master! It's my entire fault!_ cried Onyx, snorting hard.

"It's not your fault. I'm just paranoid." Pitch said bluntly, not wanting to talk. He was too preoccupied with his worries if he was going to lose his wife during this dangerous time.

There's no doctors, no nurse, no drugs, no medical gear. How is Lanie-who's starting motherhood at a younger age than her own mom-going to survive this?

Lanie bit her finger at the last pounding bit of pain, and this one was worse than before. It seemed as if her sides were splitting in half.

"God! How big is this baby!?"

_Strong and healthy, Nalanie. You've one little warrior._

Lanie smiled, a tear trickling down her cheek at the second woman's laughing, friendly manner. The first clutched at her hand, the normal stress relief for all mothers to be.

_Just one more big push…one more._

Lanie couldn't help but cry with that last push, her head coming off the pillow with the force.

Finally, she heard that sound she and Pitch both yearned to hear.

A baby coughed and wailed.

The two women formed back into one, cradling the baby in her arms. She wrapped the baby in a cloth, only covering its legs and waist. She gently gave it to a tired Lanie, who smiled brightly.

Lanie looked at the child in her arms proudly, thinking, _this hard work truly paid off._

"Hello, little one. How was the trip?" she softly laughed.

To her surprise, the baby's crying slowly stopped and seemed to be comforted by her soft words, only whimpering now.

The white spirit drew something out of the air, and stepped closer to the baby. Lanie looked up, curious to what she was holding. The baby gurgled and coughed out one last whimper, then babbled as if it was having a conversation with itself.

_This is for your baby. It contains the blue soul MiM was to give. It shall never be broken and will grow in size as the little one grows through time._

She stepped back, and slowly began to fade into nothingness.

"Thank you!" Lanie choked out between tears of happiness.

_Congratulations, Nalanie Black._ She smiled, and then was fully gone.

Pitch burst through the door, just missing the spirit leave completely. He froze in the doorway, stuck in awe. Lanie slowly rocked a tiny form with pale flesh in her arms, hands moving and grasping the necklace around its neck. It babbled and yawned, then grew quiet as Lanie looked up at the new arrival. She beamed brightly, and Pitch couldn't help but grin back.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't, Pitch. You've done nothing wrong." She sighed dreamily, looked back at their baby.

He came over slowly, worried if he was going to scare the baby. He is the Boogeyman after all. When he saw the baby look up at him, his heart thumped with love. He couldn't help but touch the baby's chin gently, and to his surprise, the baby giggled and grasped his finger, biting down gently on his fingertip. Lanie smiled, looking up at her husband.

He beamed brightly, then with Lanie's permission, took the baby into his arms and cradled it close to his chest, holding it securely and softly. His child cooed and gently kicked his legs, happy to be near his father.

"How lucky are we, to have been given a miracle child?" he smiled, and then gently took off the blanket off the baby.

He couldn't help but grin wider. Lanie folded her arms and raised a playful brow. "Let me guess, you got your wish?"

"Damn right I did!" he laughed, and the baby squealed with glee along with him. When he gave back the boy to Lanie and sat down next to her, he asked, "What is his name?"

After thinking, Lanie smiled and kissed her son's head. He grinned, his gold eyes shining with happiness.

"Palti. Palti Kozmotis Black."

Pitch smiled, and then kissed Lanie lovingly. "It's perfect."


	32. Chapter 32

**Hello, my fellow subjects! :D Sorry for the long wait, I've had a bit of a writer's block. Still do, so I decided to put up the chapter where there's none. This chapter is basically a 'fill in' of what has been going on lately now that Palti is in their life. Don't worry, it's very fluffy and really cute. I guarantee you will squeal, 'aww' or cry or whatever you do when something is cute. Just the way you like it. ;) Though there may be no action in this chapter, there's definitely some broiling in the next and the one after that! This is set in stone: things will worsen. Too many people are thinking that this is another happily ever after. NAY NAY! Just wait and see, my dear friends.**

**I received a very good question from many reviewers, asking why I chose the name Palti. I'm glad you asked! His name holds a meaning to the story, I'll tell you that. I chose it because not only did it sound right, but also he holds a destiny. Just search it up yourself, I don't wanna give anything else away. ;)**

**Here we go then!**

Even as weeks turned to months ever since the arrival of Palti Kozmotis Black on May 1st, they still were overjoyed as being one whole family. Time couldn't change their happiness at their success for a healthy, strong son. A bouncing baby boy, as Lanie thought. And since he was a spirit child, he grew quicker; but not quick enough to easily miss the best moments of babyhood. Pitch, without missing a beat, always volunteered to change his diapers, which really confused Lanie. It didn't seem in his nature to want to clean a diaper, and for so many generations, the mothers were always the ones doing that duty. Sure, Pitch complained like a father should at the smell or how much Palti excreted, but only to make his wife laugh. It worked every time.

"I swear to God, Lanie, I found one of my fearlings in that diaper!" he once joked, causing Lanie to almost choke on her morning tea with giggles.

This time, Lanie quietly tip toed up the stairs, knowing full well by the squeals and high pitched babbles that Palti was being changed. One thing she and Pitch learned about their son is that he loved to talk. And if he was being changed or forced into the bathtub for a wash, he'd talk louder as a protest or even reach to a cry if he didn't get his way. It was incredibly cute.

The door to the nursery was ajar, but Pitch didn't notice Lanie stop in the doorway and lean against the frame, smiling at the scene in front of her.

He just finished wrapping a new diaper around Palti, who was trying to grab his fingers while he pinned. Palti whined, kicking his legs fast, unable to speak, but he was close. Pitch chuckled, resting his hands on the edge of the changing table and watched his son flail around as if he was dancing.

"Look at you. Do you ever get tired?" Pitch grinned.

Palti seemed to stop and look up at his daddy, as if he just realized he was there. His golden green eyes sparkled in the light, tugging at the heartstrings of Pitch. He gently smiled as he moved a faint strand of black hair out of Palti's forehead. Palti grinned and giggled, then stuffed his fingers into his mouth with a silly grin.

"If I were you moving like that, I'd get tired within a minute. Your mother keeps me working hard enough." Pitch smirked at that last bit.

Lanie rolled her eyes at the statement, even if Palti laughed, not knowing what Pitch really said. Palti started making a noise, a sound that was close to a word, but not quite. It made Lanie's heart skip a beat.

"Booble."

She raised her eyebrow in confusion. What's a booble? But then her question was answered. Pitch chuckled, that kind of chuckle she was very familiar with. It was a mischievous chuckle. She grinned.

"Uh oh, do I hear the bubble monster?" Pitch growled, and Palti's eyes widened with excitement.

"Here comes the bubble monster!" he cheered softly, and Palti squealed.

Pitch's nimble fingers tickled Palti's belly, making his son squirm and wiggle in his spot, screaming with glee and laughing. Lanie couldn't help but chuckle.

"Aaaah! Watch out for the bubble monster!"

Pitch picked up Palti and cradled him in one arm, continuing to tickle him. He gently tossed Palti, catching him then kissing his forehead. Palti shrieked again when Pitch blew a raspberry on his tummy, and when he was done started gently biting Palti's fingers that were wandering into his mouth, making a monster noise.

Lanie couldn't help but laugh out loud now, catching Pitch's and Palti's attention. Her son looked so thrilled that they were both there. Pitch coughed nervously and put Palti gently back down on the changing table, smoothed the front of his robe and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"…how much did you see?" he asked, trying to impose an older, mature Pitch rather than what she saw two seconds ago.

"Pretty much everything." Lanie laughed, and Pitch couldn't help but smile.

Hours later, Lanie and Pitch were struggling against a screaming Palti who did not want to go into the bathtub again. No matter how many times she squeaked the rubber ducky or tickled him with the shower sponge, he still whined and cried. She turned to Pitch, obviously tired.

"Is the water too hot?"

"No, I keep it at a lukewarm temperature when we're not using it." Pitch said, obviously irritated as well.

Palti sat on his bare bottom of the tub, no tears leaking from his eyes but completely showing his distaste for baths. Lanie cleaned his sides, legs and arms with a gentle bar of soap, and the baby still tried kicking away from her. Finally, Pitch couldn't take it any longer.

He gently took Palti's chin and made his son face him. Palti let one last cry out before becoming dead silent. Lanie grinned, _Right…he's the Boogeyman. Haven't seen that side of him in a while._

"Hush." Pitch said lowly and seriously.

Palti's eyes widened, gold and green eyes told him that it was a definite, 'Yes sir!', because they didn't hear one peep come out of him only when Lanie cleaned his short black hair. It was a quick protest, and with one nervous look to his dad, he became quiet again.

By the time he was fully wrapped in a fuzzy white towel and Lanie was cleaning her hands, Palti said strongly, "Boo!"

Boo was basically Palti's way of cursing, or probably shouting at them. He heard Pitch say that to Lanie when he would sneak up behind her from the shadows or his father would wake him up with that word. Sometimes Lanie brought Palti with her and Pitch as he made trips around the world to scare kids in their sleep. Lanie would have Palti close to her chest in a black baby sling as the Black family went to and fro, and Pitch was ecstatic that Palti thought it was funny seeing kids get scared. Lanie couldn't help but smile. She was at first opposed to this, but after a couple of weeks that passed…it was fun.

Sometimes she'd even accompany Pitch in nightmares if he was running out of belief. Her creativity in nightmares sparked back a revolution, and by each month that passed, he felt stronger and stronger. He was so close to feeling superior like he did during the Dark Ages and all he needs is a little bit more with the help of his family. He started to thirst for the thrill of fear once more, never getting tired of the kids' and adults' reactions. Ever since he met Lanie, as he would recently think about this in the midst of night in bed with her, things were turning around. Sure, there were a few pot holes in the road, but they made it this far. He would flashback to when he kidnapped her, and how she made it clear she hated him with all of her soul. How did that change? He knew the answer, but it was a question that could still go unanswered. All complaining aside, they were finally seeing the light of day Pitch always wanted.

"Boo!"

Pitch whipped around to face his son, who looked proud of himself with a wide grin. Lanie couldn't help but beam at her husband, who was still in the state of shock. Finally, he grinned like a mad man and fist pumped the air, "I call that his first word!"

Pitch went on his knees and hid his face behind his hands. Palti giggled and leaned in close, waiting for the surprise.

"Boo." Pitch said, opening his hands and showing his smiling face.

Palti shrieked with glee and fell onto his back in fits of giggles, caught in his own towel. He tried kicking the strangling cloth off his legs, and Pitch helped him get it off. Palti sat up again, ready for another scare.

"Where's Daddy?" Pitch asked behind his hands.

Lanie smiled lovingly as she watched her son and Pitch keep up that game of Peek-a-Less-Boo. There was no question she was absolutely happy this was her future, now her present. This certainly was a gift beyond all measure. Through the hardships of her life, she ended up married to a man with power and a heart so big only she knew it, and had a son that always smiled and made it clear he was a happy child. She was an eighteen year old spirit, with the things she's always dreamed of, even if that meant losing things to the past.

During that evening, she could tell Palti and Pitch were tired from the day. When she fed Palti in his high chair, he had a bored expression on his face until she picked out the banana and apple baby food. He brightened, because that was his favorite. His mouth was already open for the food even before she had a spoonful ready.

"Ready for a fully tummy, Palti? Say aah…" she drove the spoon out of the bowl and into Palti's mouth slowly, and he gratefully ate it.

"Yum! Isn't it good?" she smiled, catching a bit of the baby food that dribbled down his lower lip.

"Boo! Boo!" he said happily, probably meaning 'Yes, of course!'

Pitch watched his wife feed Palti. Another thing he learned about Lanie was that she made faces when feeding their son. It was as if she was trying to demonstrate how to chew. And oddly enough, Palti mimicked her. Somehow those faces made less food go down his face rather than in it, so it was better…but strange still. He smirked and looked back to his nightmare sand he was playing with. He piled it like a sand temple then made it collapse, swirling around in circles on the mahogany table. He felt eyes, and then looked up.

Lanie gave him a disapproving look. He raised his brows.

"What?"

"Do you have to play with nightmares at the table?" she raised a brow back at him.

"I'm not eating, though."

"Well, your son is."

"So? They're so cute, right Palti?" Pitch smiled at his son.

He twirled his nimble fingers in the air, and a tiny nightmare formed in the sand and started galloping towards Palti. Lanie drew in a breath, afraid if it would scare him. But he rather liked it. He held out his small, soft hands for it to come closer, and it did, liking the friendly air the baby cast. Palti patted his hand on the top of its head, and then patted its small back. Pitch smiled mockingly at Lanie, who grinned back but rolled her eyes.

"See? He knows better than to show fear."

"For Heaven's sake, Pitch, he thinks it's a new toy you've given him." Lanie laughed and Palti hugged the horse.

"Theron. Come here." Pitch said strongly, and the horse shrunk out of Palti's grasp and dashed back towards his master, "Follow Onyx and the others to learn your duty. You scare the world, but you do not kill, got it?"

With a whinny from the smallish horse, it was gone. Lanie stared at her strong willed husband. She sighed dreamily, then went back to finish feeding Palti. Though opening his mouth for the food, he couldn't stop staring at his dad with wonder. He wasn't afraid, but he was amazed that Pitch was his dad. It was strange seeing his dad stare back at him, then wink, and then get up and leave. He whispered something in Lanie's ear, and she blushed. Lanie slapped his arm as he sauntered away arrogantly, laughing.

"Not in front of your son, will you say that!" she laughed, but then quietly whispered, "I'll join you soon."

Palti didn't understand a thing, but the image of seeing his majestic father was plastered into his mind, along with the face of his happy mother feeding him his sweet baby food. She was glowing not only with pride but with health. Her fair skin looked smooth and right on her left cheek was a little dimple when she smiled brightly. Her teeth were purely white and her lips as pink as ballerina roses. A blush still tinged her face from the words Pitch murmured into her ear a few moments ago, but otherwise, she looked like the happiest woman on Earth. Her emerald eyes stared into his gold and green mixed ones, obviously content that Palti was eating to his heart's content. She adored that Palti would eat happily without hesitation; unlike some babies who refuse and cry at the sight of something they've never tried. She wore a beautiful dress that was the color of amethysts, with a white rim around the neckline of lace along with her waistline and sleeves. Her brown hair was longer, but she kept it at the length of her shoulders. It shone in the kitchen light, making Palti blink at the brightness.

He loved his mommy

He loved his daddy.

He loved being their son.

"Mama." He whispered.

Lanie's mouth dropped, her eyes growing big with shock. _Did he-?! No. I must've heard wrong…wait…_

She leaned forward and touched his chin gently; he smiled and grabbed at her finger, blinking adorably.

"Say that again, little warrior." She asked calmly.

"Boo." He grinned.

Lanie pouted then leaned back. Guess she did hear wrong. Darn. That would've been a dream come true if-

"Mama!" Palti barked.

Although he was trying to get her attention to get him out of the high chair, her head snapped up, almost causing a crick in her neck. Her stunned expression turned to pure joy, as if there was a surprise birthday party.

"Palti Kozmotis Black, you said Mama!" she squealed and clapped her hands excitedly.

Palti giggled as she quickly but softly tugged him out of the high chair, tucked him close to her shoulder and started sprinting out of the kitchen towards the stairs.

"Wee!" Palti screamed, watching the world whiz by backwards. He threw out his hands forward, liking the feel of the wind coming from an opposite direction.

Lanie burst into the master bedroom, where Pitch was just finishing work with a group of nightmares. He looked surprised at the loud entrance, but didn't show any concern. Probably by the look of glee on her face. He turned back towards the group and nodded for their permission to leave, and they did, morphing into the dark shadows of the room corners. He slowly walked up to his wife and son, holding his hands behind his back.

"What's wrong, my dear?"

"He said my name!" Lanie burst, unable to control her delight.

"He said Lanie?" Pitch raised his brows.

"No! He said Mama! See, look!" she giggled, and then set Palti on the floor, making him sit in between his parents.

Pitch and Lanie simultaneously crouched down in front of their son, watching him with baited breath. Pitch pointed towards Lanie.

"Who's that?"

"Mama." Palti clapped, and then fidgeted on the floor, like a little dance.

Pitch jerked his head up to look at Lanie, who was tearing up with glee. He grinned, and then stroked Palti's head that was decorated with thick, black curls of silky hair.

"That's my boy."

"Boo!" Palti hid his face behind his hands, smiling with playfulness.

"That's right, Palti…" he chuckled, then tenderly held his son's hands. He waited a moment, and then pulled them away. Palti beamed at him with all his love shining in his eyes, "Boo." Pitch grinned.


	33. Chapter 33

**Ok, ladies and gents. We're actually getting close to the end...of this story. Remember! There's a sequel! So I don't wanna hear any complaints about the ending or blah blah blah. To Dontgotaclue88: WAIT WAIT WAIT! This is a happy fanfic but but um um GAH! Just please don't question le Chef!**

**Pitch: Chef? That's all you can think of?**

**Me: ...well I don't wanna say Queen or that's too demanding.**

**Pitch: The only thing you can cook is toast.**

**Me: AND CANNED SOUP! :( *mumbling* it's not my fault I didn't take Family Consumer Science seriously...**

**Pitch: ... :)**

**Me: Boy, you just love getting me mad. No need to answer that. Here we go, buddies!**

Later that night, when Palti was peacefully asleep in his crib, Lanie crawled into bed, pulling the blankets down so she could cocoon herself in full slumber. Once she was under, she faced to her right, where Pitch usually lay. When she didn't see him, she didn't have time to think when she felt a body hover above her and felt his hot breath on her neck. She could tell he was smiling as she pretended to tremble with fear, smirking at her fail of acting.

"I can sense your fear, my love." He growled lowly, kissing her face hotly.

"What are you going to do to me?" Lanie asked, her voice shaking as she tried not to laugh.

"Love you all night long, I will." He chuckled.

He threw the covers over himself and Lanie, cradling her form close to his warm body.

Meanwhile, Palti sat wide awake in his black crib, he scratched his short nails against the blue blanket he was seated in, completely bored out of his mind. His wide, golden green eyes scanned the room. Palti was born with eyes that looked like a mix of his parents, but his eyes were sharp in the night like his father's. So his vision was the cause of his giggle when Theron the nightmare formed out of the shadows of the baby dresser, slowly creeping forward not to scare him with any sudden movements. The new nightmare knew better than to scare infants with a nightmare that could wake a teenager with a scream. Since Palti was the son of the Boogeyman, he showed complete respect towards the prince like he should.

Palti shakily got up to his feet, steadying himself by the bars of the crib. Finally, without his parent's knowledge, he was standing for the first time. He smiled and leaned forward. Though it's only been about four months, he was close to the age of one, but not quite.

"Boo!" he whispered, stretching his hand out to pet the horse.

A wind was picking up in the September night sky, carrying a bitter cold frost and a smiling boy of eighteen. He swan dove from the sky towards the forest where the manor resided. He curled his legs close to his chest, whooping at the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He made the garden fountain freeze over with a light layer of ice, and then decorated trees with his trademark frost design. He just swooped up and darted by Palti's room when he heard a childish whine and a horse snort. He stopped, frozen-no pun intended-on the spot. He silently flew back, curious to that strange noise. Once Jack Frost reached the balcony window, still floating midair, he pressed his hand against the glass, forcing it to silently open.

Inside a dark room was a baby in a crib, and a nightmare stood just inches away, looking like it was going to bite the poor baby's hand. Though Theron was not and was just going to bump his hand, next thing the stallion knew was a voice as sharp as icicles yell, "Get away from him!"

Theron and Palti both turned to look at where the voice came from. A boy about five feet six was standing on the base of the balcony, glaring at the nightmare with hatred. He clutched his staff tightly in his hands, making the staff turn blue. He wore no shoes, just brown pants and a blue sweatshirt that was smothered in frost. His white hair shone in the moonlight. To Palti, he looked like a god. Instinctively, Palti smiled at Jack, who gave back a worried glance.

He jumped from the balcony to the floor, causing a loud 'Bang!' against the wood flooring.

Lanie sat up abruptly at the noise, causing Pitch to mumble from underneath her in confusion. His hand slid up her spine, trying to get her close to him once more, but she pulled away.

"No, wait. I think I heard something." She whispered, shuddering at his touch.

"It's just the wind outside. The September nights here are horrid." He murmured.

That convinced Lanie enough, so they continued their play under the covers.

Palti turned back towards Theron who looked somewhat frightened at Jack Frost.

"No nightmare should _ever _harm a baby! You're damn lucky your Maker isn't here, but I still hold him responsible." Jack hissed with anger.

With one move, ice shot from the curved part of the staff, flinging itself right towards Theron. The horse didn't have time to run away or even make a noise of help, and was flattened by the ice to the ground, killing it instantly. That sudden death of Theron caused another loud 'Bam!' but it was louder than the one before.

Jack turned towards Palti, who was staring wide-eyed at the dead horse. He smiled sadly, "It's alright there, buddy. You're safe now. Go back to sleep, ok?" he whispered.

Just as Jack zoomed out of the room and back into the night sky, Palti began to wail. He cried at the sight of the dead horse, witnessing his first death. He screamed as tears fell, shaking in the cold that the open window let in.

Both Lanie and Pitch jolted up at the sudden noise caused by the ice attack. They didn't know what it was, but Pitch was darn sure that wasn't the wind this time.

"You heard that, right?" Lanie asked, scanning the room.

"Yes."

That's when Palti started crying and wailing in fear. Lanie and Pitch bolted from the bed and into his room. They thankfully wore their sleepwear when they entered, but their hair was a mess. Palti looked to his parents, still sobbing. He pointed to dead Theron.

"B-boo-boo!" Palti whimpered.

"Oh my God!" Lanie couldn't help but cry out. She rushed over to Palti's crib and plucked him out, cradling him close to her. Palti continued to cry, but felt a little bit more comforted now that he was close to his mother.

Pitch stared at the dead nightmare in shock. It was obviously a work of Jack, there's no question there. The way the ice unnaturally curled and looked like it was shot was definitely made by no storm. One thing for sure, Pitch knew Jack didn't know they lived there. It was impossible that Jack would know Lanie and he lived there. He didn't know they had a child, and none of the other Guardians knew their huge secret either. Heck, they didn't even know they were married. This was a living nightmare. He kept thinking, knowing measures must be taken.

"Pitch, was it-?!" Lanie asked frantically.

"Yes, it was Jack. I don't think he knows we're here." Pitch stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"But then why would he do this?" she asked, rubbing Palti's back.

"He must've saw Theron playing with Palti and thought he was about to attack him…" Pitch's eyes widened.

"Isn't it against the spirit's rule to endanger infants?" Lanie asked, staring at the ground as if it was on fire.

Pitch bit his lip. Yes, it was. So if Jack spotted his nightmare close to hurting a baby-which it wasn't- he had the right to inform the Guardians of his fracture of the spirit rules. Then they had a right to put him in his place. But that wasn't the case at all!

Lanie whimpered, but regained her strength when Palti coughed out another cry.

"Shh, it's alright, Palti. No more crying, my little warrior." She hushed, kissing his head gently. Palti buried his face into her neck, clutching at the sleeves of her nightgown.

"Lanie," Pitch said suddenly, "we can't leave him home alone anymore."

"Wait, but I stay with him! I can protect him!" Lanie protested.

Pitch turned around, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked defeated and worn down at the many times he's been accused of harming children. Lanie's questioning eyes softened. She went over to him and touched his cheek with her free hand. He looked into her green eyes with sorrow.

"That won't stop the Guardians from taking him away. And if they see you with Palti, they'll instantly know you're the mother." He rushed.

"No they won't. I'll just pretend I'm a babysitter-!" Lanie tried smiling.

"Lanie!" scolded Pitch, making her stop. He plucked Palti from her arm and held him in front of her by his underarms. Palti looked around, wondering what was going on. Was he about to play a game with Daddy? He kicked is little legs, ready to be flown in the air like a seagull or have raspberries blown on his tummy.

"Spirits are not stupid! Look at him. He looks exactly like me!" Pitch snapped, obviously close to bursting a nerve.

"Except the nose and skin, lover boy." Lanie giggled, taking Palti back into her arms. He babbled quietly, his own way of calming himself down.

"Ugh…" Pitch rubbed his forehead with both hands, "Why don't you take anything seriously?"

Pitch fell to his knees, still clutching his head in his hands. He was certainly distressed. Lanie watched him with sadness. She knew what he was going through. She went through such stress and depression when she was in high school. Palti started nibbling on his fingers, knowing he was close to teething soon. Lanie went down on her knees and stared at her husband as he silently muttered to himself, still holding onto Palti. Her son looked from his dad to his mom, wondering what was going on. Why was Daddy sad?

Lanie placed him back in the crib, deep in thought. For all these years, eighteen, she believed in the Guardians except Jack Frost. She blinked. Pitch watched her curiously. What she was thinking could not be put into words. Moreover, she was thinking how she thought that all this time, the Guardians were the ones she must not trust, that they are the ones that cause problems. If a child no longer believes in them, they're selfish to thinking that they are the ones affected. That isn't it entirely. Once a child loses belief, they are the ones that are hurt the most. They soon think their life is a lie, something not worth believing in. Once they stop having faith in one thing, they lose faith in all others.

"From now on, Pitch, I'm coming with you…" she said, her voice growing dark.

"Lanie?" Pitch asked, surprised.

She turned, and her facial expression stopped him, making a feeling of awe spread through his guts.

"I cannot let the Guardians ruin who we are, who you are. They need to learn to stay in their place, especially that insufferable Frost boy. I now see why you despise them so much. It is clear. They are the fault of your falling of power, and they are the ones always ruining your plans. Now that I am a part of you, they are ruining mine as well. No longer will they continue to stick their noses in our business. Now, it's time for them to pay. I think its damn time for another revolution. We have everything we need. Ever since I aided you through the night, you've never felt stronger, and neither have I. We will start a new Dark Age, whether they like it or not. They must learn what it's like to be cast out and bullied just for being themselves."

After her solemn rant, Pitch was still shocked. _She's willing to go far for me, for a new Dark Age?_ _How…delicious._ With that, he grinned like the bad guy he was, almost erupting into evil laughter.

"Finally!" he grabbed her close and kissed her hard. She smirked at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Someone knows how to have a little _fun!"_

Lanie strapped on her belt that held the silver sword. If she and Pitch were to travel in the night, they must act swiftly and elegantly like the shadows that the streetlight cast. And carrying a baby in a sling will not be easy, so she abandoned the dress and chose her always welcomed outfit. She donned black pants and midnight boots with no heels, easy for running. An obsidian black cloak covered her back and shoulders, and she wore her dark purple shirt that hugged her chest. She clipped the cloak around her neck and let it slide over her shoulders and the baby sling. She looked down and softly smiled. Palti hummed at the warmth of his mother but squeaked in confusion at the sudden silky, black fabric covering him. She touched her sword on her hip opposite of the baby sling, to make sure she would never harm Palti while she was running or jumping from building to building.

Pitch found her in the garden, where the lanterns glowed dimly. She turned to look at him from underneath her hood, the light only reaching to the bottom of her face, yet her green eyes sparkled from the darkness the cloak hood cast.

"Aah, you're like a darker version of yourself when I kidnapped you." He grinned, touching her chin.

"And you look the same as ever, Boogeyman." She chuckled.

"Boo!" Palti fussed, smiling up at his parents.

Pitch grinned and touched his son's head. "That's right, Palti. We're going to go say 'Boo' to children."

As they traveled across Europe first, Pitch rode his trusty mare Onyx, while Lanie jumped and flew from building to building, clutching Palti close to her chest in the baby sling. Pitch signaled her to enter the upcoming apartment home, and she grinned in response with a nod.

They molded into the shadows of the alley and reappeared in the bedroom of a child. Palti knew at that moment to be quiet. Lanie took off her hood for a minute and looked to Pitch. He grinned maliciously as he circled the bed. Lanie silently crept closer to take a look at the child. It was a girl of about ten years old. She had frizzy brown hair that was spread all over her white and blue striped pillow. Her little mouth was open and her breathing was loud in her throat. A stuffed panda bear was lying in her hand, and her back was turned to a stuffed beanie baby that looked like it was decorated with ice cream. The girl smacked her lips mid sleep, and turned her head a bit, snuggling deeper into the warmth of her pillow.

"What is she afraid of?" Lanie whispered.

Pitch's eyes unfocused for a bit, then he grinned. "Exactly what I am, the Boogeyman. Not only that, but rodents and big dogs. She's also afraid of blizzards."

A wooden chair that was painted with blue roses stood next to her bed, probably left by her parents when they would read or sing her to sleep. Pitch took a seat and stared at the girl, thinking hard. _Hmm…what is a good nightmare I can give? Something generous, of course._ There were so many choices, it was hard to choose.

"…Pitch?"

"Mm?"

"What are your favorite nightmares?" she sneered at her question. She knew the result that would cause.

He smiled softly as he looked at the girl. He touched her head softly, feeling the brown frizz. She didn't stir. He leaned back and touched his chin attentively.

Lanie started forward. If a nightmare didn't act fast enough, Pitch would let her jump into the dream and take it on from there, but he held up a hand.

"Give it a minute."

A moment passed, and then finally after what seemed to be at least five minutes, the girl's eyes shot open, revealing pale blue eyes. She bolted from the bed, sitting upright and screamed into the night. Sheen of sweat covered her forehead, matting her frizzy hair to her head. Pitch smiled and stood up, proud of his work. Though unfazed the girl couldn't see him, he was full of pride. He patted Lanie's shoulder, indicating they should leave to the next victim.

"The ones that make them scream a little for me."

Lanie laughed at his reply just as she heard heavy footsteps come down the hallway. Just as she and Pitch hurried back into the shadows of the girl's closet, her father burst in worried, "What's the matter, Gracie?!"

On they continued through the cities, towns, and countries through Europe, scaring kids to teenagers to even adults, and they succeeded every time.

They stopped in London, just to take a breather and let Palti get a little free time of play. Pitch bounced him in his arms, making Palti smile. He leaned up and began grabbing at his robe collar, and Pitch chuckled at his strong grip.

"You know what?" Lanie smiled, finishing her glance at the city.

"What is it, my dear?" he asked, smiling back. Palti giggled and began burying his feet into Pitch's hands so he could stand up.

"I realized a way you could bring a new Dark Age. Why not do it silently? Just spread more nightmares and blind kids into thinking the Guardians don't exist. That will tip the balance, and the next thing you'll know, they will be scratching at their heads wondering what the heck happened!" she finished, putting her hands on her hips in pride at her idea.

"It's not bad, love," Pitch grunted as Palti grabbed his nose and tried pulling himself up towards his hair. He pried off his hand and Palti whined in protest. "But that would take millions, possibly billions of nightmares to do that. It'd take years to complete that."

"What, you're not patient?" Lanie teased, winking as she stretched her arms.

"My dear, you should've learned that about me a _long_ time ago." Pitch laughed, but then was stopped when Palti pulled on his ear. "Ow! What the heck are you doing?!"

Palti giggled as he finally stood on his father's shoulders, the exact height from the base of Pitch's neck to his head. Palti touched his hair, and then retracted his hand quickly at the weird, feathery feeling.

"No, no, please. Not the hair." Pitch muttered in despair.

Palti giggled at the feathery feeling and felt it again, petting it as if it were a cat. He shoved his little arms into his hair and buried his face, making him giggle at the ticklish feeling. Pitch couldn't help but smirk as Lanie doubled over with laughter. She finally got under a little bit control and walked over. She tugged Palti off from Pitch's shoulders, but Palti had a good grip on a lock of hair. Pitch yelled, and then Palti quickly released. Admitted, he loved his father with all his heart, but he could be scary with just a yell by itself.

Something shivered up Lanie's spine. It made her skin crawl and her senses sharpen to the world around her. Then, she heard it. It was laughter. Then her name was called.

"Lanie! Lanie, come here right now!" a voice laughed, though trying to sound in control.

Pitch heard it, too. So did Palti, and he didn't like it. He whimpered and cuddled into the crook of Lanie's neck. Lanie slowly put Palti back in his baby sling and looked around at the silent London streets. She touched a hand to her sword, ready for an attack.

"Lanie, do you know that voice?" Pitch whispered, backing up to touch her back with his.

"Yeah, it sounds like Mom." She murmured back.

The laughter was joined in with the shouting of her brothers. They were shouting, making Lanie's head spin.

"Lanie, how'd you get up there?!"

"Don't hurt yourself!"

Lanie now knew where the voices were coming from. She jumped into the air, closely followed by Pitch as she leaped from building to building. She stopped to balance on a streetlight post, and checked around her. She was now in a district where there were houses, and the city of London was just a ways away. She flew into the air and hovered, looking around. Finally, she saw it. A chalet with a double fireplace chimney sat in the darkness of night, right by two other chalets that looked older than that one. She flew over to the first window and peeked in.

_I'm sure the voices were coming from here…_

With the power of being a spirit, she went through the window and was now standing in a medium sized room with two beds next to the opposite walls. The walls were a pale green and the floor she stood on was a shaggy brown carpet. She looked around. There were two dressers, a metal shoe rack, a toy chest that looked like it just came from a pirate ship, and wooden pegs on the walls that hung winter coats, a Jedi robe and a soccer ball decorated bathrobe. She knew all those coats. Her mouth dropped open when she looked back at the beds.

Palti cried for a quick second, wondering what was wrong with her, but Lanie stroked his head.

"Shh…it's alright. Hush." She whispered.

Someone heard her.

A light turned on and the sound of a squeaky bed startled her. She turned around, holding onto Palti tightly. _Wait a minute,_ she thought, _they wouldn't even see me can they? Only if they believe in the Boogeyman._

A teenager around fifteen or fourteen leaned up, rubbing his eyes that contained fresh dream sand. He blinked and looked towards the noise that made him wake up. He had an Orioles t-shirt over black sweatpants when he kicked the thick blankets off him. When he turned his head as he sat up, his green eyes went wide with shock.

"C-Charlie?" Lanie whispered, still afraid she couldn't be seen.

"Lanie?! Are you seriously here!" he yelled, but then slammed his hand over his mouth. He bounced off the bed, full of newfound glee.

Lanie couldn't help but silently laugh. She's never seen him so happy before! He grasped her shoulders and gave his older sister a big kiss on her forehead, then gave a tight hug.

"Ah, careful! You'll squeeze Palti!" she whispered sharply.

Charlie pulled away, "Who? What the heck are you talking about-?"

With a smile, Lanie revealed Palti, who blinked at the sudden brightness. He became shy, not making a sound and only staring right at Charlie's startled face.

"Lanie…you're a mom?" he asked quietly.

"Mm-hm. And a spirit, too. Which makes me wonder how you can see me?" She regained her happiness and curiosity.

"I don't know! Wow! No offense, sis, but I thought you were dead!" he laughed like he was still dreaming, "Man…I can't believe this…"

"I know, I missed you too." Lanie smiled sadly, patting her brother's shoulder.

"No, I mean I can't believe I'm an uncle AND I'm taller than you!" he cheered quietly, slapping her arm as if he was the big brother, even if that wasn't the case at all.

Lanie gave him a deadpan expression, and he stopped to sneer at her. "You're just as annoying when you were little."

"And you're just as small when you were sixteen."

"Shut up, alright? Where's Colby?" she looked around, noticing the matching bed in the room was missing its occupant.

"Ah, he's at a friend's house. You know Ned?"

"No, I don't." Lanie laughed, "I literally found you just now."

"Cool." He grinned.

Palti giggled at his uncle he's never met before, and then turned his head towards the darkness. He grinned wider once he saw a pair of golden eyes flash in the dark corner of the room.

"Boo!" Palti cheered.

"Uh oh." Lanie's heart jumped. She turned around and glared at the eyes, who sneered back, "Don't be rude, Pitch. And don't think of scaring Charlie."

"I wasn't going to…yet." He said darkly, morphing out of the shadows.

Charlie fell back in fright, "Who the heck-?! Lanie! Who's that?!" he hoarsely whispered, hoping Mom and Dad couldn't hear him from their room downstairs. He was so taken aback by the sudden appearance of this man clad in black with grey skin, he lost his balance and fell back onto the bed, still staring wide eyed at Pitch.

"Pitch, this is Charlie. Charlie, this is Pitch. He's my brother," Lanie pointed at Charlie, "and he's my husband." She flourished a hand in Pitch's direction.

He gave a quick bow out of boredom, "Pleased to meet your acquaintance…still afraid of leeches and bees?" he sneered at him.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too-wait a minute!" Charlie stood back up defiantly, "Lanie, is he the Boogeyman?!"

"The one and only!" she grinned, glancing at Pitch. He returned a small smile, but continued back to looking around the smallish room.

"…Cool." He grinned, staring at Pitch like he was Brad Pitt.

Lanie rolled her eyes at her immature brother. "For God's sake, Charlie, he isn't a celebrity. Close your mouth before flies nest in there." She snapped.

Charlie laughed, snapping out of his stars truck trance. "You remember that still?"

"When you swallowed a few flies to win the bet? Why would I not? That was the best summer I had!" Lanie laughed.

Pitch watched his wife and her brother talk more, obviously thrilled at seeing each other once again. His heart hurt. If only he had someone to talk to like that…Well, he had Lanie, of course. But he never had a sibling to talk to. He couldn't even remember if he had one in his past. Did he? He touched the Jedi robe that hung from a wooden peg softly, thinking. _Lanie doesn't realize how lucky she is…not many people have a sweet relationship she does with her brother._

When Pitch looked back, Lanie and Charlie were both smiling at him. Even Palti was ogling at him from the baby sling he was cradled in.

"What?" he asked, trying to add a bit of boredom in that question.

"Nothing, just glad you're here." Lanie lovingly smiled and sighed. She grinned back at Charlie, who was eyeballing his black robe.

"What's up with the dress?" he asked Lanie. She shrugged.

"IT'S NOT A DRESS IT'S A ROBE! GET IT THROUGH YOUR BLOND HEAD!" Pitch yelled. That remark was always a bomb on his nerve.

Charlie held up his hands in defense, and Palti started crying at the sudden noise. "Whoa! Alright, dude, calm down! What's his problem?!" he turned to Lanie.

"He's been asked that for a _long_ time." She said knowingly, bouncing Palti up and down to make him stop crying.

"How long are we talking about?" Charlie chuckled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Lanie thought, and then grinned at her next answer, "longer than the ages of the Roman Empire."

"Lanie…you are cruel…with a capital C." Pitch glowered at her, and she flirtatiously winked at him.

Their blood seemed to freeze once they heard voices. It took no genius to know it was Charlie and Lanie's parents. Lanie worriedly looked to Pitch, who simply smiled and nodded his head towards the nearest shadow. She grinned and looked back at Charlie, who looked petrified that his parents were awake.

"Charlie? Are you okay up there?" came Dad's voice.

"Uh…" he glanced back at Lanie, who was adoringly staring up at Pitch, who stared back into her eyes while giving her a side hug.

They glanced back and smiled, well, Lanie did. Pitch just nodded curtly. Charlie became confused. _What did they mean by that?_

Just then, the door was whisked open, revealing an older man, close to his elder years now, in long green striped pants and a white long sleeved shirt. His grey hair matched his slippers, and he shuffled his feet against the floor of Charlie's room. He blinked his green eyes, looking around his son's room. He finally snarled, seeing only his son.

"Are you talking to yourself up here?!" he snapped, clearly just woken up.

"What?! No-I was talking with Pitch and-"

"Who?" Dad looked confused and gave his son an odd look.

His father could not see them. As he stood in Charlie's room, he only saw his youngest son, no one else.

"…Wait…" Charlie was majorly confused.

He looked back to where Lanie and Pitch once stood, and saw that he indeed was alone. Left in their spot was a tiny note that looked like it was scribbled quickly and hurriedly. He stepped over it and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry. I think I was sleep talking, then." Charlie rubbed his head, faking a yawn.

Dad yawned in return and smacked his lips. "That's alright, buddy. At least it's not sleepwalking…g'night."

He closed the door. Once Charlie heard the click of the doorknob, he bent down and picked up the note. It read:

_Even if you don't see me anymore, I'm still with you. _

_Always_

_ -Lanie Black_

_P.S. Yep! Married to the man, too! _

Charlie chuckled to himself as he folded up the note neatly, shaking his head.

"Lanie, you're one crazy girl." He muttered, getting back into bed. He shoved the note underneath his pillow, hoping for good dreams. "I'll remember you, sis."


	34. Chapter 34

**There's a lot of events happening now, and its because we're getting REALLY close. I didn't realize it would come this fast...this makes me sad this part of the story is almost over! Good thing I have the sequel to look forward to! :D**

**This chapter almost brought me to tears, sorry about that. If I cause any tears or sadness, please pardon me. Its just how the story has to go...plus my writing does that to people ;) Also, please excuse me if Pitch is a little OOC. I kind of imagined what a father would do in this situation, so I basically made it that way for Pitch. Please enjoy!**

**Two chapters in one night?! HALLELUJAH!**

They were laughing when they were once again in the London streets, filling the dead silence with their laughter. They weren't laughing at Charlie exactly, but Palti clung to one word his Uncle Charlie said.

"Sis! Sis! Sis!" Palti cheered, kicking his feet a bit, accidentally hitting Lanie in the chest.

"Great. I thought that name would be forgotten." Lanie chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"Didn't he used to call you something else?" Pitch grinned, keeping his stride even with hers.

"Don't even remind me!" Lanie laughed.

"Was it…Sargent?" Pitch narrowed his eyes teasingly, rewarded with a glaring grin.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…it's because I was bossy, ok? Happy now?"

"Content is more like it."

Once they reached the part of London where there was a giant crossing lane, they stopped. Pitch listened with his sharp ears, not hearing one nightmare snort or distant scream. He looked at Lanie, who raised her brows. Pitch glanced at the moon, which was just about to head downwards. The sky was becoming paler, having purple its main color. But the stars still shone brightly. The city was still dark and deserted, and not one car was expected to arrive or leave its spot within the hour or so. Pitch grasped Lanie's hand, who squeezed back reassuringly.

"We're behind schedule. Ready to bring more fear to America?" he grinned.

"Ready as I'll-!" she started.

But then something fell from the sky. It looked like it was going to crash land, and it was swarmed by snow and ice. Legs shot out just as it hit the pavement, causing the ground to crack at the impact. Ice shot out from the open cracks, and a cold gust of wind blew in the direction of Lanie and Pitch. Palti almost cried out, but Lanie shushed him. Palti looked to his mother's and father's faces. They looked terrified. That was his cue to be absolutely quiet.

"Break a leg!" Jack said, straightening up, grinning wickedly, "On second thought…" he cracked his knuckles.

Out formed a portal, spitting out a large man clad in red and a fluffy Russian hat, a short man with a sandy robe and a fairy with large, gossamer wings. They straightened up from the journey and rushed to Jack's side. A hole opened up in the ground close to Sandman, and out popped a six foot one tall bunny, a Pooka with the look of kill. He whipped out his boomerangs and pointed towards the dark couple, ready for war.

_The Guardians…_ Lanie thought, fear crawling up her spine. _For something so peaceful for children, they're terrifying once you're their enemy._

"Let us break it for you." Jack snarled, pointing the crook of his glowing staff towards Pitch.

Lanie clutched Palti closer to her chest and slightly hid behind Pitch, glad they couldn't see Palti from the baby sling and cloak she wore. She glared at all of them, but gave a look of guilt when Tooth caught her eyes. Pitch shielded his fear by chuckling, then clapping slowly, showing no kindness whatsoever.

"Well, well, well! The troupe returns! Lanie, dear, I'd like you to meet the Guardians. You remember my stories about them, yes?"

"Very much so." She said, not blinking.

"Here we have a rabid bunny, who's apparently the Easter Rabbit." Pitch pointed towards Bunny, who snarled with hatred. "And here we got a fat old man who could possibly be a diabetic. This is Tooth…she's…Tooth." He waved a hand at Tooth, showing he didn't want to notice her presence.

Tooth couldn't say anything, nor find any words to say. How could Lanie do this? She's no longer that innocent girl she once bumped into. The memory of Lanie stuck in the Lair, obviously wanting to run away was no longer there. It's as if it were all a dream, not a memory. Lanie apologetically frowned at Tooth, who bit her lip. Lanie mouthed the words, 'I'm sorry.'

All Tooth could do was nod.

"And of course, that pesky brat of winter himself, Jack Frost." Pitch spat, glaring daggers at Jack. He glared in return, seething with anger.

"Enough introductory, Pitch." North boomed, unsheathing his swords.

"I'm surprised, old man. Usually, I'm the one who starts a battle. Why attack me first when I've done nothing wrong?" he looked away, pride written in his smug grin. Lanie didn't like that at all.

"You know exactly what you did, you rat bag!" Bunny snapped, threatening a step closer.

Pitch raised a brow, as if to question them.

"You endangered a baby, not yet accustomed to us or fear. You've broken a rule, and now-" Tooth started.

"You're getting what's coming to you!" Jack cut her off, then charged.

"JACK NO!" the other three vocal Guardians shouted, and Sandman made a big X over his head.

Pitch ducked out of Jack's swing, nearly missing a good beating of frostbite. He tugged Lanie to the side, clearing her from danger. He summoned a nightmare and made it charge towards the Guardians. Soon, fearlings rushed from the dark alleys towards the other four as he and Jack fought, ducking, kicking, punching, and aiming to kill or hurt.

Lanie looked to her sword. She bit her lip then looked back at the fight. She can't…she knows she can't fight. She thought she had the guts to hurt and kill…but she didn't. She was basically fighting against her childhood, while married to something she feared for most of it. She couldn't, especially with a child close to her breast that so badly wanted to cry.

"OI! GET OVA HERE, SHIELA AND YOU WON'T GET HURT!" an Aussie voice shouted at her, startling her out of her thoughts.

Bunny was bounding towards her on all his fours, a look of war on his face. She screamed at how fast he was coming, and with quick reflexes, flipped backwards. As she landed, she swung her arm out, causing a blast of nightmare sand to shoot out of nowhere. Bunny's eyes widened at the sudden appearance, and couldn't move quickly in time. It slapped him back, causing him to land on his back a few yards from where he started. He shook his head and glared at her.

Lanie stared at her hands, full of horror and awe. She could actually do that?! If she was alone and being trained, she would've considered it awesome! But at this time? She was horrified she did this to the Easter Bunny. Will this ruin the belief her child may have when he gets a little bit older? Will all the Guardians hate Palti, and her son won't even know why?

"So that's how you wanna play, huh? Fine, then! Boogeyman's mate is going' down first!" the Pooka yelled, and he threw a boomerang towards the direction of her head.

She screamed again, and then with enough concentration, grew a shield of nightmare sand from the ground up above her head. The boomerang bounced off and redirected towards a garbage bin, clanked, then back towards Bunny. But a fearling got a grab on it and slithered away, cackling evilly. Bunny yelled in anger, and then chased after the little bugger.

Pitch looked behind him worriedly as he deflected a swing from North's sword. Was Lanie okay? He looked back to his current situation. He growled menacingly, then with all his weight, shoved North back, knocking him into a group of fearlings who tried pulling him into the dark alleys. Pitch raised his hands into the air and summoned a huge swirling cloud of black sand, causing the Guardians to huddle together for protection and let Pitch escape for the time being.

He dodged into another shadow, scanning the scenery for Lanie.

"Lanie! Where are you!?" he whispered hoarsely, "Quick, we don't have much time!"

He found her in a different passageway that was close to the shield she created, still firmly stuck on the sidewalk. He sighed of relief and sprinted over, double checking to make sure the nightmares and fearlings were keeping the Guardians occupied. He stopped behind the shield and watched his wife, making sure he wouldn't scare her any time soon.

She was softly singing to Palti, who was sobbing from distress and fear. She cradled Palti close to her chest, nervously looking around her in case any of the Guardians will show up.

"My good and tender son

Don't be frightened and don't be scared

My son, I have nothing I can give

But this chance that you may live

I pray we'll live again

If He will deliver us"

Pitch slowly let his hand wander out of the darkness of the nearby shadow and softly covered her mouth with his hand. She almost screamed but then to reassure her, reappeared in front of her with a calm face. She breathed out through her nose to relax, and he could feel her hot breath on his hand. He put a finger up to his lips to tell her to be absolutely quiet.

"We don't have any time. Those nightmares won't hold out for long." He rushed in a soft tone.

"Pitch, we need to get out of here! Think of Palti!" she whispered anxiously.

"You think I don't?! I'm just as concerned as you!" he snapped, then looked out to the streets where the Guardians were still fighting. It appeared that the nightmare army was thinning out, but they still could have two more minutes of escape.

"How is he doing?" he whispered, peeking into the baby sling.

When he pulled back the cloth, he was met with wet baby eyes. His son was scared. His lower lip quivered. He curled his feet closer together, like a fetus would. Seeing him scared in only his diaper broke his heart. Usually he would gladly accept the fear, but never from his own offspring. Not even from his wife. It didn't satisfy him like other fears did.

"Let's go to the manor while we still can." Pitch finalized, grabbing Lanie's upper arm to tug her into a dark shadow once more.

She hesitated, looking back towards Jack and the others. What about her friendship with Tooth? What about all this fighting that had to be done? She didn't want to be a part of it now. She thought she'd want to be involved in this alongside Pitch, but now…she sorely wants to protect her family, nothing else.

"Lanie, quick. I'll tell you the plan once we get there." He whispered sharply out of concern.

With one look back, they ran. They dodged into a dark opening and reappeared to a place where both their hearts relaxed just a tad bit. Palti babbled, happy being back home. But they couldn't be comfortable now. Not for a while. Lanie took Palti out of his baby sling as the couple dashed upstairs. Pitch ran into the master bedroom, with Lanie close on his heels. Palti made a noise in question.

"Mama?"

"Not now, Palti. Daddy and I are busy." Lanie kissed him on the forehead, and he touched her chin in response.

Pitch dug around in the chest that was close to the wardrobe. He pulled out a big cloth that looked like burlap and a book. Lanie's mouth widened.

"Pitch, what're you doing?!" she exclaimed, setting Palti on the floor. He sat up into a split position, watching his parents with utmost curiosity.

"Lanie, we need to get Palti out of here." Pitch wouldn't look at her.

"What?! No!" Lanie cried, seizing his arm while falling to her knees.

He still wouldn't look at her. He unraveled the burlap cloth and laid the book aside. He waited, still not meeting her gaze.

"Give me your sword…" he said straightforwardly.

"PITCH WHAT-?!" Lanie screamed, about to burst into tears.

He grabbed her wrists, now looking straight into her eyes; her soul. She stopped, utterly shocked at what she saw.

Tears were pooling in his golden silver eyes, and his brows were knit together with restraint. He winced, ashamed of showing his weakness. Lanie touched his face, worried.

"Pitch…"

He let his head drop into her shoulder, and he grasped at her arms, not wanting to let her go. She was still stunned. She's never seen him like this. Never. She didn't know it was possible for him to cry. She held his back, hoping that would collect him. She could feel him shudder as each sob rumbled in his throat.

Palti saw how worked up his daddy was and his golden green eyes widened. He got down on his fours and crawled over to him. Once he reached his knee, he rested his hand there. That gained his attention. Pitch straightened up and stared down at Palti, who was sitting on his feet and staring up at his father with the entire love showing in his eyes. Lanie gave a small smile. Palti grinned and held up his hands, open wide for a hug.

"Daddy." He begged.

Pitch bit his lip, his heart aching even worse than before. He picked up Palti and hugged him, but not as tight as he did with Lanie. Palti copied his mother by rubbing his back, but could only reach his neck. Pitch gave a sad chuckle and kissed his forehead.

"I love you, Palti." He murmured.

Lanie took Palti into her arms, and then set him beside her so he was now back to sitting on the floor. He grabbed his feet and began rocking back and forth on his diapered covered bottom.

"Lanie, please trust me." Pitch held out his hands for the sword.

She hesitated, and then unbuckled the sword from her hip. She wrapped the belt around the hilt, and then deposited the sword into the scabbard. Once she gave it to Pitch, he wrapped it up in the burlap cloth, tying it with string so it couldn't fall out.

He opened the book to the very last page, where the back cover was. He looked at Lanie, who appeared to want to read the inside text.

"I've written a letter for him…just in case." He said quietly, giving it to her.

Lanie read it slowly and carefully, savoring every word she read. Her heart cried out in sadness and hope at his letter. She knew exactly what must be done to protect their son. She finished reading it, and she smiled. She closed the book and gave it to Pitch, who placed it on top of the sword.

He looked back, a serious expression on his face. "Do you know the plan now?"

Lanie nodded, and then looked at Palti, who stared at his hands like they were something fascinating to see.

"Bring Palti to Kimi before it's too late."

"Exactly…we should rest up before we leave." He stood up, carrying the covered sword and book in his arms.

Lanie stood up, carrying Palti close to her chest for comfort. Palti lazily moved, hugging his mother softly. She glanced at Pitch.

"He needs rest anyway. That little battle wore him out."

"Well, that battle isn't over yet." Pitch mumbled.

They both exited the master bedroom, Lanie heading towards Palti's room and Pitch to the kitchen to put the gear on the table.

Lanie gently placed Palti in the crib, watching him slowly blink his eyes closed, obviously tired from the day's work. She smiled softly, and pulled up the blue blanket that lay crumpled at the edge of the crib. Palti rolled over onto his side at the warmth the blanket provided, and started to suck on his fingers as he drifted off to sleep. Lanie stroked his head, cherishing the feel of his soft, wispy black hair. Tears pricked her eyes as she pulled up the crib barrier. Palti whined at the noise, his way of saying, 'Please don't leave without a song!'

Lanie stroked his tiny cheek, calming him down. She closed her eyes, and with a deep breath, began to sing.

_Hush now, my baby_

_Be still love, don't cry_

_Sleep like you're rocked by the stream_

_Sleep and remember_

_My lullaby_

_And I'll be with you when you dream_

**I know that's really short. Sorry. It's just that the previous one was SUPER long, so I made this kind of shorter. Have a good day/night everyone! :)**


	35. Chapter 35

**Oooooh, I'm going to make you bawl. You're going to be crying so hard...why do I know this? Well...I may have teared up a little bit with these last chapters. I won't say anything more...just...'scuse me please *weeps***

**Pitch: WOULD YOU STOP IT I'M RIGHT HERE!**

**Me: YAY! LET ME HUG YOU! *lunges***

***Pitch dodges***

**Me: Waaah...It's not my fault...don't make them hate me.**

**Pitch: You're getting what's coming for you.**

Palti woke up before his parents the next day, and by the look on his mother's face, something was wrong. She slept lightly, not really needing it but gained it just in case. Her face was tired and looked like she cried for most of the night. Her arm was used as her pillow as she napped on the small bed close to the wall, her legs tucked in so she wouldn't fall off. Palti shook the bars of the crib, wanting to get out.

"Mama!" he chanted, grinning when his mother woke up.

She rewarded him with a kind smile of patience, got up from the bed and went over to the crib. She pulled Palti out and began walking towards the door.

"Good morning, Palti. Had enough sleep?" she whispered, wondering if Pitch was awake or not. She quickly peeked into the master bedroom, and when she saw an empty bed, knew he was downstairs.

Once they reached the hallway, they saw Pitch sitting at the table, obviously stressed about something. He ran his fingers through his hair, making it obviously clear he didn't sleep at all. He was too busy worrying about the future for their son and hopefully them. If they're to battle the Guardians, who is to take care of Palti? And once he grows up, will he stand beside them in battle?

Jack must've told the Guardians that one of his nightmares was going to 'attack' a baby. But it wasn't fair to Pitch or Lanie, since he was their son _and_ Theron wasn't even thinking of doing so at all!

Pitch looked up, finally realizing someone standing at the end of the hallway. He cracked a small smile, hoping Palti wouldn't realize his parent's sorrow. Palti grinned along with his mother's tiny smirk back, and started wiggling in her grip. Lanie looked to her son, who was kicking his legs furiously so he can get to the ground.

"Lanie let him down." Pitch said, his voice full of hope. He got off the chair and into the middle of the hallway, crouching down.

She set Palti down on the floor, who wobbly stood up. Clad only in a diaper, he put one foot out in front of the other, starting to walk towards Pitch. Lanie smiled brightly as Palti slowly inched closer Pitch's open arms, and he was grinning back.

Palti finally reached Pitch, collapsing into his arms with a silly grin. Pitch chuckled as he stood up, carrying his son like a trophy. Palti giggled and shouted, "Daddy! Boo!"

"Boo!" Pitch murmured, and then gave Palti another raspberry on his tummy, making him squeal and laugh.

"Pitch? Do we have to?" Lanie asked, worry creasing her forehead.

Palti stopped laughing and looked at his mother with a smile, already starting to suck on his fingers again. Pitch stroked Palti's cheek, and his son stopped sucking on his fingers and beamed back at his dad. He grabbed Pitch's cheeks and leaned in-

"MMMMMUA!" he gave a loud smooch on his mouth.

"Palti Kozmotis!" Lanie laughed.

"Ew!" Pitch spat a bit, making Palti giggle, "tastes like baby food. My dear, I think he learned that from you."

"I never gave you a large whopper of a kiss like that before!" Lanie clutched at her stomach as she giggled some more.

Pitch shook a finger at Palti, who grinned. It was a frisky grin, showing he did it to be silly. "No kisses on the mouth."

Palti shook a finger back at his dad and mimicked his serious face, "No."

That set Lanie laughing again, this time having to sit on the floor from the amount of laughter. Pitch couldn't help but roll his eyes as he chuckled. Palti looked to his parents in confusion. What's so funny? He didn't understand.

The mood seemed to lower greatly as the day slowly went by. Pitch didn't bother going out and giving nightmares to children. He wanted to spend time with his son before he had to say good-bye for a while. He was grateful Palti was just staying with Kimi until the battle is over. It didn't matter if they won or lost the fight. Even if he lost, he'd gain something back that the Guardians would never have. Lanie felt the same way.

Though they waited in the manor, the Guardians searched the entire globe looking for them, hoping to finish that fight and put Pitch back in his place. Jack was the one driven by anger, and this time, the Guardian excused it. They felt the same way for Pitch endangering a child. But the only Guardians who had a feeling that something wasn't right were Tooth and Sandy. Something told them they shouldn't be doing this, that they weren't understanding something close to them. Since they are one of the few spirits that work 24/7, they always get a stirring that a child is born and they must act their business. Of course, that feeling comes frequently, but this one felt more powerful.

The Guardians scoured the globe, all over Asia, Australia, Antarctica, Africa, Europe, and South America. There was no trace of them at all…

Pitch and Lanie ran through the forests, dashing into shadows and reappearing in places that were further from their home. Palti was happily asleep in his mother's arms, loving the sweet smell of chocolate his mother smelled like and the soft, pleasant wind the forests gave off. Though their baby was peacefully happy, Lanie and Pitch were on a sharp lookout for the Guardians, even jumping at their own shadow.

They finally reached the large property area where Kimi resided. The sun just barely touched the roof of the large, three floored house. The Allen residence was surrounded by large pasture, and a horse stable was a bit further down closer to the pool. In the distance, mountainous hills rolled and trees fought for dominance over height, and the woods they now stood in was thick with life.

"Gosh, she sure made a lot of money as a doctor." Lanie breathed, struck with awe.

"She's married to a pharmacist, too. So that doubles the paycheck…are you sure about this?" Pitch looked at her worriedly.

"Pitch, you're the one who thought of this. We know it's for the best." Lanie said calmly, taking a quick peek at Palti, who was still fast asleep.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to-"

"You know what I mean, Lanie." He looked at her sadly.

Lanie gave a sad smile, hoping somehow she could see his grin again. She softly kissed his cheek, standing on her tiptoes and cradling Palti's head close to her chest. Pitch sighed, and then took her into a loving embrace.

"Pitch, I forgave you a long time ago."

"I wish I knew that, love." He smiled, and Lanie couldn't help but affectionately grin back. She loved his smile.

The closer they got to Kimi and Ben's house, the more their hearts screamed to retreat. Why did they have to give up their only child? Even just departing for a while is heartbreaking. They knew they will return, but they couldn't shake the feeling of loss when they stepped onto the patio steps.

Kimi has been happily married to Ben Allen, and they moved from their locations to Virginia Beach, hoping to start a family of their own. Sure enough, they did. They had two sons, Kody and Devonte. Kody is the eldest, and looks much like his father but with the attributes of his mother, even at the age of five. Devonte inherited his mother's features, but acted much like his father did when he was little. It was like a mix up, and Kimi and Ben found it completely blissful and amusing. Kody already was in preschool, and he has also taken a liking to collecting rocks and bugs like any other boy would. Though Devonte just celebrated his second birthday, he's already playing around with the football with his daddy, and like every other toddler, fidgets during church services.

Lanie knocked on the door, slowly but loudly to make sure she would be heard. She felt Pitch touch her back, trying to get her attention. She turned and waited for him to say something.

He opened his mouth, but closed it. He touched her cheek instead, and she leaned into his touch, giving him sad eyes.

Finally, the door opened.

Kimi stood in white sweatpants and a long sleeved, yellow shirt with matching pale yellow socks. A little boy around the age of two stared at the dark couple from the other side of the door. Once Pitch's eyes came to stare at Devonte, he squeaked and hid behind his mother's leg, terrified. Pitch bit his lip. Oops.

"L-Lanie!?" Kimi gasped, shocked out of her wits.

"Hello, Kimi." Lanie smiled sadly.

"My God! How-But-?! Oh, forget the questions! I missed you so much!" Kimi pulled her into a friendly hug, and Lanie hugged back, careful not to squeeze Palti.

"Kimi, we need to ask a favor." Lanie pulled away.

Before her Asian friend could reply with a question, she saw the distress and sorrow written in both of their eyes. She got the hint that something was wrong. She remembered Pitch fully. There hasn't been one moment where she would forget trying to get Lanie out of the lair, and her friend denied such and stayed with him. It looks as if they really did love each other.

"Anything, Lanie."

Lanie slowly took a part of the baby sling cloth and lowered it, showing a sleeping Palti. Pitch couldn't help but softly smile and give Lanie a loving side hug, proud of her and their son.

Kimi was stricken with shock once more. Her knees almost weakened, but she became strong. She looked up at Lanie's green eyes, her mouth still agape.

"You…you had a child?"

"His name is Palti Kozmotis. Kimi, we need you to care for him while we're gone." Lanie undid the baby sling around her shoulders and wrapped Palti comfortingly in the black fabric. She cradled him for a while, touching his face gently to remember the soft feeling of his skin and his facial structure.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Kimi nibbled on her lip, worried for her friend and…well, that weird Boogeyman doesn't deserve her worry, but…it's been a while.

"Very wrong. We don't have time to tell you. This book," Pitch held out the leather bound book to Kimi, who hesitantly took it, "will explain everything. Just keep it with you in case…something goes wrong. Read it. You'll understand."

"I'm surprised by this, guys. Even you, Pitch. I hope this is nothing serious." Kimi said in a low tone.

"It…it's a big problem. Just please, take-."

"Wait," Pitch stopped Lanie from giving Palti to Kimi, "can…can I just hold him one last time?"

Both girls noticed the worry in his eyes, the sadness and love it possessed, and a soft spot grew on Kimi's heart for him. By that one little question, she knew he's changed completely. And this was the best change she's seen in anyone.

Lanie nodded and took Palti out of the black cloth, then gave him to Pitch. Palti woke up a tiny bit from the sudden chill, but wasn't too bothered by it. His eyes lazily blinked, and his breath was still heavy with sleep. Kimi couldn't help but smile.

"He's a cute one, that Palti of yours." Kimi said as Pitch walked back towards the steps of the patio, staring at the past noon sky.

"Thanks. Your child is cute, as well." Lanie bent down and smiled at Devonte, who peeked out a bit at her friendliness.

"This is Devonte." Kimi softly said, rubbing her son's head. Just as his name was introduced, her other son, Kody, slowly and carefully came down the stairs one step at a time. He looked up at the two women. His blue eyes widened, knowing instantly that she was the Boogeyman's wife.

Kids had a way with knowing things about their beliefs, and something told him it was just as a good idea to hide behind his mother like Devonte did.

Kimi laughed, "And this is Kody. He's actually not that shy."

"I don't blame them. I look pretty spooky, huh?" she smiled softly at Kimi's sons.

Pitch held Palti close to his chest, a hand holding his bottom and one rested on his back. Palti smiled against Pitch's strong chest, liking the warmth and protective air he radiated with. As Pitch stood there with his son tucked to his chest, he moved his hand to his son's head. Black sand formed around Palti, grazing his soft body gently.

"Remember us, Palti. And if you can't, remember this moment. Know that you have parents who love you, care for you, and will watch over you forever and ever. Man in Moon has planned a destiny for you, and you must fulfill it, just as your mother has done and I have as well. For eternity, we'll always be your parents. Whether we're beside you or not. Remember who you are. You are Palti Kozmotis Black, our son and only joy you have brought to our lives. No matter what choices you make in life…we'll always love you."

Pitch and Lanie left Palti with Kimi, who was then wide awake. He watched his parents leave, and he couldn't help but stretch out a hand, longing for their love once more.

Palti looked up at Kimi, who smiled back. Her mind was still echoing with Lanie's dangerously troublesome words.

_If the sunset is red…we aren't coming back._

Palti smiled and played with his hair, growing a bit of shyness. Kimi chuckled at the adorableness, and brought him inside.

"Mommy." Kody tugged at her pant sleeve, and Devonte ran in front of them to his daddy to tell him what happened.

"Come, Kody. We must show Daddy your new baby brother…Palti."

The Guardians stood around the Burgess streets, keeping an eye out. They went everywhere, and this is the last place they thought of. Knowing that this town was the place of his downfall of the Nightmare War, they'd know he'd be close. Bunny once again peeked into the nearby alleyway as Sandy and Tooth checked the skies. North and Jack stood guard, looking down the streets to make sure nothing was coming out to surprise-

Black sand swarmed from sewer vents, manholes and other dark looking areas, forming into one giant cloud. The loud hissing brought the Guardians back together in one group, and they stood ready, their weapons or wings ready for battle. Not one of them had a look of worry, kindness or pity.

The black sand cleared, and there in its spot stood Pitch and Lanie, both looking fully angry and with contempt. Pitch held his scythe, still accustomed to his favorite weapon, while Lanie might have to get used to using a collapsible rod, good for knocking skulls to bits and breaking joints. Each end was spiked, making the rod useful for spear throwing as well. Nightmares surrounded behind the dark couple to back them up, all of them snorting and pawing at the ground, ready to charge.

"And to think, the little Guardians of Childhood would start a battle!" he laughed, his eyes glowing the eclipse form Lanie was so accustomed to.

With a wave of his hand, the nightmares charged, huffing as they cantered towards their target and neighing once they were taken down. The fight began, and luckily, it lasted for a while. Tooth darted in between the Guardians and nightmares, using her brilliant wings as daggers. Bunny flipped and dodged bites from the night beasts and easily took them out. Jack and North teamed up and went back to back, slashing through nightmares and freezing them to the ground.

Sandy tried something a little new this time. He took out his whips and instead of aiming for Pitch, went for Lanie. A plan formed in his head, and it seemed the most peaceful idea that won't involve any brutal harm Pitch was accustomed to. He would somehow snag one of his whips to her rod and take it from her, causing her to be weaponless and powerless. He would snag the whips around her and use her not exactly as a threat, but not blackmail either. Once he'd have her in the golden sand grasp, Pitch would have no choice but to give up his fight in order to save Lanie. Then, they could somehow compromise.

With sand magic, he sent a few daydreams of those plans to Bunny, North and Tooth as they fought. Something was wrong, because one of them wasn't reaching Jack. He was too busy being chased by fearlings and Pitch was just sending spears towards him, thankfully, North blocked them.

It didn't matter mostly. Tooth, Bunny and North seemed to get the idea. They nodded at the short man as they continued to fight, Bunny and North easing up on Pitch and fighting with him personally.

Sandy flung his wrist, making a sand whip almost wrap around the base of Lanie's rod, but she moved quickly by stepping on the whip with her foot, then prodding Jack's leg out of her way, causing the seventeen year old youth to yelp in pain. She had a look of war, so stony faced and strong. She flipped and bent around, seeming to be flexible. She wielded that spear rod so well, Pitch for a minute thought she was finally getting the hang of it.

Though the Guardian's minds were focused on defeating the dark couple, Pitch and Lanie's minds couldn't help but go back in time.

They thought of the school Lanie attended. They thought of the scary kidnapping that occurred there, and then the first couple of weeks when Lanie was stuck in the lair with Pitch. They thought of when Lanie was attacked by wolves, and when Pitch gave her the most sweet surprises and gifts. They thought of their first date, their secret wedding, the making of Palti and giving life to him three months later. They thought of Palti's first words, when he took his first step, his first Boogeyman like antics. They were glad the glisten of hard-working sweat concealed their tears.

From the looks of the mêlée, Pitch and Lanie weren't doing too good. Two to five really had no chance of winning, and even with an army of nightmares that could easily be pulverized, there was a slim chance they could get away. For the longest time, Lanie always fought by Pitch's side, never leaving him even when Jack tried to push her away with a wall of ice or Sandman got one of his whips around her ankle.

Sandman struggled to get Lanie, knowing that if he did, the conflict could finish and they would resolve to talk. The other mature Guardians knew the plan, but noticed how Jack kept on fighting brutally. He's always been like that, ever since he joined the legendary group. If he caught one sign of Pitch, he would freeze everything. Though everyone had a look of strength and stone, he had a look of pure fury, of hatred that couldn't be concealed.

As a finishing touch, Jack let out a blast of snow and ice with the Guardian's consent to wipe out the remaining fearlings and nightmares, causing Lanie and Pitch to be vulnerable. But luckily, before the snow blast could hit them, Pitch sent up a wall of black sand to protect himself and his wife, who just narrowly missed large shards of ice. The sand and snow, along with Sandy's remaining particles of dreamsand, floated around thickly, parting like fog.

The battle couldn't go on like this. Something unexpected had to happen. Without surrender, this conflict would never end. Every single fighter was out of breath, even Tooth who contained so much energy. North rested on one of his swords, putting the other one back into the hilt on his waist. Bunny twirled a boomerang in his fuzzy paw, wiping sweat from his brow. Pitch glared at them as he panted, trying to get as much air as possible before they would continue.

"Is this what had to happen?!" he bellowed, the streets echoing with his voice.

Though no human that did not believe in him heard that, the Guardian's bones shook from that voice. Lanie looked heartbroken.

"I finally find something worth living for, and it's much more important than power, and you still plan to take it away! How cowardly is that?!" Pitch yelled, his fists clenching.

Lanie touched his arm, hoping for him to calm down. She warned him softly. Why? She had a bad stirring in her gut, something that didn't rest well with her. The look of kill Jack Frost was sending was more hateful than Bunny could ever give. Jack was inching closer to North's left side, keeping his chilly blue eyes on Pitch.

"For once, I got the family I've dreamed of! And yet you still get in the way! Even Man in Moon said don't interfere! I was getting the second chance! I was changing!" Pitch let his scythe disappear back into the ground, dissolving into black sand, swarming around his ankles then disappearing.

"And…I'm tired of this fighting. I can't take it anymore." He finished, more quietly than before.

The Guardian's eyes widened at his speech, except Jack. Tooth, Sandy, North and Bunny didn't realize how he just wanted a second chance, to have a family that bad. Lanie was the lucky one he chose. For thousands of years, he longed for someone to love or have someone to talk to and see him eye to eye, and he only had to wait until now. Four legendary hearts softened, understanding something finally. Sandy's dream whips slowly shortened, thinking it was best not to fight. It never was Pitch's nature to want to stop fighting. He was a true warrior, born from thousands of galaxies away that was accustomed to war and bravery and honor.

Pitch…finally became good.

They saw the good in him. They saw how he truly loved Lanie, how he protected her with his life no matter what happened. And since Tooth was a motherly figure to not only her baby fairies but also the children she visited at night and cared for the world, she knew much about parents. And one thing she knows about parents, is that once they are, their eyes are warm. Both Pitch's and Lanie's shone like that. Her heart thumped, and she knew what she thought was true. They were parents.

The truth spilled out without any words. That they were bonded, and they grew the family they wished for away from prying eyes. They were afraid of the Guardians taking their newly gained happiness away, and they should've realized even the most evil man could still have a good side. For thousands of years, he was bad.

And to think…all it took was Lanie's heart.

Jack couldn't hear Pitch's surrender. His blood was pulsing too quickly in his ears, making his head spin with pure loathing. This was Pitch they're talking about. He never gave up a fight unless he had to be immobilized. He knew something was up. _Pitch is trying to deceive us!_ His mind cried. _He's trying to get us right when we let our guard down!_

The thought seemed logical enough. For years, Pitch attacked during the unexpected, and this matched one of those moments perfectly. Jack knew what was going to happen. Pitch would act all innocent with his manipulative and believable acting, and the Guardians would falter. He then would bring out a surprise attack and demolish what was left of the legends, not only to save himself but also to get revenge for his defeat of the Nightmare War. They'd become nothing, and the children would lose their hopes, wonders, memories and dreams they brought them.

He had to act. And with a little push from MiM to seal the destiny…

He brought the Demise.

Jack jerked towards North and unsheathed his sword at lightning speed before the big man could react. Bunny gasped and that caught everyone's attention for only a millisecond. Without one thought, Jack Frost gritted his teeth and flung that blade straight towards Pitch.

Time seemed to slow. Pitch heard Lanie scream, and he saw regret quickly flicker across the white haired boy's face. As the blade drew nearer, he knew he couldn't duck in time. He clenched his eyes tight and shielded his face with his arms.

Nothing happened.

Until he heard another scream…but it was from Tooth.

"NO!" Jack yelled.

Pitch opened his eyes slowly, and then looked up.

There stood Lanie, her arms open wide and her legs spread apart to balance herself on the ground…

With a blade stuck in her chest.


	36. Chapter 36

**This is extremely short, I know. Please bear with me, because this story may have a sad ending, there's still hope.**

"LANIE!" Pitch shrieked. Fear overcame him, and he was lucky not one nightmare was around him to take that chance.

He ran forward, and caught her just as her knees buckled. She groaned, holding her stomach and had her other hand wrapped around the blade, careful not to cut her hand. Pitch gently laid her on the ground, not letting go of her head. Her face was twisted with pain and tears streamed down her face. Pitch felt a lump in his throat rise, and his eyes started to prickle. He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying anything to calm her down.

"You…you idiot." He whispered, his voice shaking.

"You're worth it, Pitch." Lanie coughed, finishing with a hiss when a muscle flinched in her abdomen.

"Lanie-!" he started.

Lanie yanked out the sword from her stomach and let it clatter to the pavement. The Guardians could only watch in pure horror and grief. There was nothing they could do! And MiM was sending them feelings that this time, they shouldn't interfere. Tooth looked to Jack, and was surprised at how he was crying. Though no noise escaped his throat, hot tears fell from his eyes, his lower lip quivering.

"Jack…" she started.

He wiped them away, and then looked down at his feet. He couldn't say anything…he had no right to.

"What have you done?" Bunny whispered.

The forever seventeen year old couldn't take it anymore. He fled. He took off into the sky, and Tooth felt one of his tears hit her cheek when he bolted.

Blood was quickly pouring from Lanie's open wound. Though it was concealed by her fluttering dress, it stretched from the bottom of her chest to the middle of her belly, a few inches above her navel. Her dress was turning from a black to a dark crimson. Pitch didn't care. He cradled her head as she heavily breathed, trying to fight off the pain. She grasped at his hand, and he squeezed it tightly.

He kissed her forehead multiple times. "Come on. You're going to make it. We just have to heal you, that's all-!" a beam of hope started in his heart, but it was quickly shot down by the look on her face.

"Pitch…you know that isn't true." She cried softly, touching his face.

"Shh…don't talk like that. We'll get you back and we can have Palti back and-!" his voice broke, tears now pooling in his eyes.

Lanie gently leaned up with the help of Pitch's guiding hand on her back. Against her pain, she sweetly kissed him and wiped all his tears away with her finger. But it came to no use. They were immediately replaced with more. She gave a pained smile. She cupped her hand against his cheek, and he held it firmly.

"You are worth sacrificing my life for. You taught me how to see the good…I love you, Pitch Black. And I always will."

"P-please don't die." He whimpered.

"Pitch…I'm proud of you. We're…finally safe. You did what's right…though my body may leave, I'll always be with you…forever…I'll never let go…" she said hoarsely, her voice giving way.

Pitch and Lanie shared a kiss, and that small symbol of affection proved to the Guardians that he certainly wasn't faking.

Lanie's last breath escaped her lips, and she died giving him the last sign of love she could ever bestow.

When he felt her lips stop moving against his, he knew…she was gone. Oh he knew it; he just didn't want to believe it. At all. He slowly pulled away, laying her back on the ground. Her mouth was closed as well as her eyes. She looked like she was sleeping. The only thing that was missing was the rise and fall of her chest…but there was no heartbeat left in her.

Pitch laughed nervously, letting her face fall to the side, "Come on, Lanie. Stop acting…you're not funny this time…Lanie…Lanie, please…" hot tears fell from his golden eyes, his lip trembling as he scooted closer to her. "Please don't leave me…you said you never w-would…p-please…Lanie…Nalanie, no…"

The more he said her name, the more he lost control over his emotions. He was no longer that cool collected, arrogant acting Boogeyman. He was a real man losing the love of his life, feeling agony and complete distress.

Storm clouds that had no rain rolled above them, shielding the sun from the fallen couple only, the sun still smiling down on the Guardians. Tooth couldn't help but start to weep, and Bunny held her in comfort. Sandy looked up at North sorrowfully, and he could only look away with enough shame for not understanding his fallen enemy enough. The storm clouds thundered softly, knowing what the brutal force was arriving soon.

Out of the corner of Tooth's eye as she hugged Bunny, she saw the Boogeyman's hand snake towards the sword, still wet with his wife's blood. It made a loud noise against the gravel road, and as Pitch raised it up, lightning struck the sky.

"You're not leaving without me!" he screamed.

"NO!" now all the Guardians rushed forward, knowing this was the time to stop him. They ignored what MiM said, and finally found a reason to help their ex-enemy.

But it was too late.

By the time North knelt down close to the couple, Pitch was already dead. His body lay close to his wife, as if they were taking a nap in the sunlight.

Sunlight.

The storm clouds were gone.

And were replaced with a bright, red sunset.

Back in Virginia Beach, Kimi ran back outside just as the sun set, and by the glow of the red sun against the grass that she could see by the kitchen window, she knew something was drastically wrong. She carried Palti in her arms, and as she ran down the hallway, Ben and her two sons followed closely on her heels.

They made it to the patio, and right when her eyes met the blood red sunset, Palti began to wail.

"They…they're dead." She gasped, covering her mouth with her free hand.

"Kimi…" Ben touched his wife's shoulder pityingly. Devonte and Kody just watched their parents, and then glanced back at the sunset.

That night, the Guardians laid Pitch and Lanie to rest, but not burying them. Spirits were forever immortal, but in a time like this, they could be woken up…in a matter of years. Possibly centuries, or even more than that. The night shone bright as Pitch and Lanie lay on their bier, a look of peace on their face. Tooth made sure that they held hands, showing even in death that they were together. North's elves jingled their funeral dirge with their hat bells as the yetis laid flowers and candles around the bier. Once the yetis, elves, and mini fairies left, it was only the Guardians. It was time to say good-bye.

All of them were there. Including Jack Frost. He felt extremely guilty, and he finally saw the unnecessary hate he put into their lives. Looks like he didn't understand him at all…

Sandy wiped a golden tear silently that leaked from the corner of his eye, and then folded his hands once more. North bowed his head, sniffing back any more tears that threatened his blue eyes. Bunny's ears were flattened to his head, and Tooth didn't bother to even crack a sad smile or give a hopeful hand squeeze like she did at Sandy's memorial. Jack quickly wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweatshirt, but it was soon damp. He sniffed, not looking away from the damage he caused.

"I really didn't mean to…I thought he would…" Jack cried.

"Don't blame yourself, Jack," Tooth said kindly, giving him a look of pure honesty and understanding, "we would've acted, too."

"Is there any hope for them to come back?" he asked, his vision blurring once again with tears.

"Who knows…?" Tooth sighed.

Palti was wide awake in his new crib. Unlike his first one, this new crib was white with green stripes and a pale green baby mattress. He stood up and glanced to the fuzzy yellow floor. The moon shone on the carpet, and the moonbeam made the little boy glance up towards the open window, where the white curtains fluttered elegantly. Palti smiled and silently shook the bars. After doing so much back with his parents, he knew how to free himself of his prison. The gate of the crib fell, and Palti gently and carefully crawled out and landed on his bottom onto the comfortingly soft floor. He stood up and ran to the window as fast as his stubby little legs could let him go. He crawled up onto the plastic primary colored table and sat on his legs, peeking out into the night sky. He was met with the gleam of the moon and many glittering stars. Two very bright stars shone the best, and it caught his attention before he looked to the moon. And when he looked back at the moon, the little boy smiled. Man in Moon seemed to grin back in a friendly manner.

"The hope could've been the secret they had."

**And that is the end of Listen to your Heart! But don't worry, people. The sequel, Listen to Your Mind will be out shortly, so hang tight! Do you see why I HAVE to do a sequel?! It's just overflowing with possibilities! Sure, you may have an idea of what might happen, but please keep it to yourself. Some people may not have a clue, and I'd like to keep it that way. If something happens in the sequel that you knew would happen, pat yourself on the back and don't gloat about it on reviews. Not being mean, I'm just thinking of others.**

**For this story, I'd like to thank Mystichawk for sticking with me until the very end-nay nay! She's still with me now! ^_^ And also my other friends that spell checked and reread everything for me when I didn't have time to.**

**You all made this possible, because if I didn't get widely accepted like you made me feel, I wouldn't have continued...okay, maybe I would've, and probably pretended a bunch of people read it, but still!**

**So I'm going to take a break, but on that break, I'll be planning what to do for the next story. Don't worry, i have a good idea (I just noticed I didn't capitalize that I right there, but I'm too lazy...plus it's 11:07 PM) of what's going on. I just need to really spice it up!**

**With cinnamon...and ginger...um...vanilla...**

**Great, now I'm hungry.**

**Thanks a bunch for the story, and keep a lookout for Listen to your Mind!**

**Say bye, Pitch!**

**Pitch: Don't tell me what to do.**

**Me: A-HEM.**

**Pitch: ...farewell.**

**Me: Say bye, Lanie!**

**Lanie: It was nice to meet you all!**

**Say bye bye, Palti!**

**Palti: Hi-hi!**

**Me: No, 'bye bye!'**

**Palti: Boo!**

**Me: -_- ...We'll work on that. So long, everybody!**

**Yours,**

** Fanty**

**Ps...yes, I stalled in this bold print. I HAD FUN TYPING THIS OK!? ...hope I made a few giggles ;)**


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